The potential carnage of Morleys Greenfield sites.



New figures released by the Planning Department show the full extend of the potential carnage facing Morley's Greenfields if Labours Housing Targets are to be reached.

Regular readers will be aware of Labours LDF target of 7,200 new houses across the Greater Morley area. The document received shows that a miserly 18% of this target can be found on existing brownfield sites. Even with my poor "O" level in Maths I can work out that a whopping 80% plus can only be reached by ripping up Greenfield sites across Morley. I'd go further and say Developers will choose these greenfield sites before it even begins to look at the brownfield ones as there is more profit in them!

And this pretty much undermines the Labour Party's position of bleating that new development is necessary but some how can be accommodated on brownfield sites alone. This is a lie and always was but it is one that Labour believe that - if it is used often enough - people will then accept as the truth.

The headline figures show over 500 proposed for Laneside Farm in Churwell with a whopping 1000 plus for Tingley Station. Clearly schools, health centres and roads cannot cope with this level of over development but the Labour Party Supported drive from Developers speeds along.

We will off course make this a big election issue next month. Labours position on this issue is feeble and the only other political players in the area - UKIP - have failed to turn up to any of the rallies or meetings to oppose this Developer led carnage of our Greenfield sites. We are the only political group that has had the backbone to take on the Developers and will continue to do so.

We all agree that we need more affordable homes on brownfield sites but this is not what the LDF gives us. We backed affordable homes at Glen Road, Liberty View and Kirkness Court - all affordable homes - all on brownfield previously developed sites. The LDF offers urban sprawl with an overwhelming offer of Executive style homes. That won't help anyone on the present housing list in Morley.

We will continue to battle with Labour and its LDF and hope that we get full support for our campaign in the forthcoming local elections.

Church Fields Victory!

Cllr Wyn Kidger leads the rally at Church Fields

Readers will remember that we have been battling with Developers to save a greenfield site at Church Fields in East Ardsley. We have campaigned hard with our MARC (Morley against reckless construction) colleagues and with the community in East Ardsley to put the strong case against housing development on this highly valued green field.

On Thursday we held a rally at the site prior to the Plans Panel site visit organised by my good colleague and Church Fields Campaign Co-ordinator Cllr Wyn Kidger. Over 50 people attended and it was great to see the community joining with us, waving banners and giving a clear message to Councillors on the Plans Panel about how important this Greenfield site is.

My colleague Cllr Tom Leadley sits on the Panel looking into this application. The Panel received a position statement report to consider which covers the areas of concern - such as traffic congestion and the impact on local services such as schools and health centres. I am delighted to say that the Plans Panel made a recommendation that the application should be refused. This refusal is likely to be confirmed in June unless the Developer voluntarily withdraws the application - therefore withdrawing the threat of development.

The issues from our point of view are clear. Local schools are full and have no space to accommodate the children generated form this development. Bradford Road is regularly congested and a further 600 cars contributing to this congestion would only make matters worse. The local health centre is already busy with servicing the health needs of people living in the area and a further 1000 plus patients feeding into it would make for longer waiting times to see a GP.

These arguments seems to have been accepted by the Labour dominated Plans Panel. How curious is it that the same arguments - which were relevant at Bruntcliffe Road, Daisy Hill and Owlers Farm - were rejected with Labour capitulating to developers on each and every occasion.

Some would say that Church Fields is in a Labour Ward and therefore gets special treatment. Others say Labour are so worried about losing the Ardsley and Robin Hood seat in the local elections in May that they needed to give the embattled Labour Councillors for the area a victory. Whatever the reason it is always gratifying to see a sinner converted to a better path. It will be interesting to see if this is a permanent or temporary conversion!

We are grateful to local residents for their support and Wyn Kidger has put her body and soul into this campaign working closely with the community in East Ardsley. They all deserve a great amount of credit for not buckling under the power of the large Developers wanting to concrete over this valuable site.

We will not be complacent. It appears we may have won this battle and retained this greenfield site. However we all know Labours propensity to u turn and capitulate to Developers when pressed as they did with Daisy Hill. We will battle on. There is no surrender when it comes to protecting the Greater Morley area from overdevelopment!

Victory for the People!

Regular readers will know about my frustrations with Persimmons the developers of Daisy Hill. Local opposition to this Greenfield site being developed was clear and unequivocal. Despite this opposition Labour Leeds City Council - led by Labour Councillors on the Plans Panel - capitulated to this Developer and granted planning permission on this site.

Persimmons have been poor neighbours and have plagued local residents by failing to comply with their planning obligations often behaving in a significantly anti-social way. Residents have been shouted at when they have politely asked for vehicles to be moved that are blocking their drives, residents have been sworn at by contractors working on the site and other issues - such as noise and mud on the roads - are often met with indifference.

All this week I have been inundated with calls about the road closure that Persimmons need to put in services to the new estate. They were advised to consult with local residents and inform them weeks in advance of the closure. Persimmons decided it was enough to bung a quick note through a handful of addresses leaving most people unaware. As a result of this poor attitude the Road Closure Order - which they need to legally close the road - has been rescinded and Persimmons will not be able to close Daisy Hill next week. Indeed this will set them back several weeks because they can't be bothered to take advice and believe they can get away with anything!

This is a good news for local residents and a Victory for the People who have grown significantly more irritated at Persimmons ability to avoid being held accountable for their poor behaviour. This time it hasn't worked and they will pay a financial price for poor behaviour which will result in a delay to their works.

I already have Planning Enforcement and the Police investigating Persimmons poor attitude. A victory such as this one helps restore faith that on occasions the good guys can win!