We meet with Eric Pickles MP

I joined campaigners who travelled to the House of Commons on Wednesday to see Eric Pickles MP to discuss concerns about Labour Leeds LDF plan for over 7,000 new houses for the Greater Morley Area and Labours Plans to expand Cottingley Springs Travellers site despite overwhelming opposition.

We were grateful for the opportunity to meet with the Secretary of State responsible for Planning to raise the issues about the over development of the Morley area. We told him about the lack of school places at both Primary and Secondary schools, the problems with getting appointments at local health centres along with the incapacity of local road networks and the motorway network to accommodate this level of development. We confirmed the unrealistic population figures Labour Leeds came up with and the unrealistic target of 74,000 new houses across the Leeds City Council area. We also told him about the planning permissions granted for over 20,000 new homes on mainly brownfield sites across the Leeds City Council area which had not yet been built.

On Cottingley Springs Travellers site expansion we raised issues about the plan breaching national and local policies, the levels of criminality from some of the Travellers on site and the unified opposition from local residents, local councillors and some Travellers themselves who oppose this scheme.

Mr Pickles listened carefully to what we said and our view was that he was sympathetic to our concerns. A large number of notes were taken and we are optimistic that both Labours LDF and Travellers Plans will be called in for closer scrutiny.

We will see early in the New Year what action Mr Pickles is to take.

Reduced speed limit for Drighlington?

I was in Drighlington Village this week when we had a look at the speed limits that are presently operating at the entry to the Village. At both the Wakefield Road and Bradford Road ends of the A650 it is clear that the speed limits are too high. A 40mph zone operates at both ends and does not reduce to 30mph until you are well within the residential zone.

Its clear that these inappropriate speed limits send confused messages to motorists and we  need to do all we can to get the speed limit reduced at the point a residential zone is reached.

Highways are presently undertaking a full review off speed limits along the length of the A650 from East Ardsley through to the Bradford Border. We've asked for the Drighlington section to have the speed limit reduced from a 40 to a 30 as soon as the village is entered. A decision is due next Spring and I hope we will be able to deliver safer and slower roads for Drighlington residents.

Morley Folk pack Inspectors Hearing



Morley Folk fill Leeds Civic Hall at the Inspectors Meeting

 A hundred Morley residents attended a packed meeting at Leeds Civic Hall today to campaign against Labours LDF plan for 7,200 new homes for the Morley wide area.

The meeting - which was a session with the Planning Inspector who is examining the plan to see if its sound - is the only such meeting during the examination process because of the large numbers of objections form the Morley area. I was delighted to see so many people from different communities coming together to support each other.

My colleague Cllr Tom Leadley lead the discussion with a clear paper that confirmed Labour Leeds City Councils population projections were bonkers and miles away from the truth. He also gave clear evidence that Labour Leeds couldn't deliver over 4,000 new homes each and every year to 2028. Planning Officers could offer no coherent strategy on where the money for the new infrastructure required by Labours LDF for schools, roads or health centre would come from. Indeed they have no plan.

The Planning Inspector was fair and gave everyone who wanted to comment an opportunity to do so but the clear and consistent message was that the infrastructure required for Labours Proposals for 7,200 new houses for Morley was not affordable or deliverable. Taking into account the fact that Morley's primary and secondary schools will be full by 2016 with students already living in the area then Labours proposals are exposed as being nothing more than a Developers Charter.

Indeed after Labour Leeds agreed to reduce the contribution Developers have to make for affordable housing from 25% to 15% Developers are now moaning that they can't even afford that meagre amount! If Labours LDF gets through then we will seem more Executive Style Housing and none of the affordable housing we actually need.

The clear message from this mornings meeting is that Morley is full and we will resist an attempts by Labour Leeds and their Developer buddies to overdevelop any of our communities.



Morley Campaigners this morning



Excellent Rally but lets build for the Inspectors Meeting!

We had an excellent rally in Morley last Saturday when hundreds of local residents came together to raise their objection to Labours LDF Plan. Regular readers will know we have opposed Labours Plans for an additional 7,200 new homes across the Morley area because the infrastructure - such as schools, roads and health centres - can't cope with this level of over development.

Speaker after speaker spoke out against Labours outrageous LDF plan which will brings thousands of Executive Style Houses with little if any affordable homes for those on Morley's Housing Waiting List. Indeed Labour Leeds reduced the targets for affordable homes form 25% down to 15% - despite opposition from me - to make sure Developers maximised their profits from Morley Greenfield sites.

The rally called on Morley Folk to attend the Hearing next Friday 11th October at 930am at the Civic Hall in Leeds where Morley gets its own session with the Planning Inspector on Labours LDF plan. Indeed Morley is the only community that's gets its own session and this is due to the overwhelming and unified opposition of local residents.

The only person still peddling the Labour line on this is Labours Cllr Neil Dawson who - despite the views of the people he represents - continues to back the Party Line. His loyalty - as ever - remains with the Labour Party and not Morley People.

Even Labour MP Ed Balls confirmed on Saturday after the rally that he supports our campaign - in his words he's "right behind us". As to how true that is - when you note that no objection has been lodged by either Ed nor any of his Labour acolytes - is difficult to say. Perhaps he will turn up Friday to support us - you never know.

I am urging everyone who backs our campaign to get down to the Civic next Friday. We are in the Council Chamber there which holds over 150 people. Let's make sure all those seats are full and we send the Planning Inspector a clear message - Labours LDF is not welcome in Morley!


Morley protesters at Leeds Civic Hall