Churchfields update

 A decision made by the Planning Inspectorate and confirmed by the Secretary of State for planning matters to grant permission for development on a Greenfield site in East Ardsley has been condemned by Morley Borough Independent councillors. The appeal – which granted consent for over 300 new homes on Churchfields off Bradford Road in East Ardsley - follows a long campaign opposing development from residents and a refusal to grant planning permission by the Planning Authority.

Cllr Wyn Kidger, an active campaigner against the proposal said “This is a bad news day for local residents and a kick in the teeth for the campaign to retain this Greenfield site.”

The Planning Inspector granted planning permission for the new homes after he concluded that Leeds City Council could not demonstrate a five year land supply for new housing and that Churchfields and two other Greenfield sites would therefore have to be allocated for housing immediately.

Cllr Robert Finnigan condemned the failure of Leeds City Councils ruling Labour Group to get their housing targets right.

Cllr Finnigan said “Right at the beginning of the Local Plan MBI councillors proposed a lower housing target of around 50,000 housing units during the lifetime of the plan up to 2028. We believed this was an ambitious but realistic target. The Labour Group agreed a target of 74,000 which was neither achievable nor sustainable but this higher target has allowed unscrupulous developers to claim that more Greenfield land should be released. We predicted this outcome over 4 years ago and regrettably that nightmare vision has come true.”

Leeds City Councils higher target has led to speculative applications for housing at Laneside Farm in Churwell, Spring Gardens in Drighlington and Dunningley at Tingley with a cumulative total in excess of 1500 new homes.

Cllr Robert Finnigan said “Local primary and secondary schools are full, local health centres barely able to cope with present demand, local roads are congested and pollution levels rising. These housing targets are unsustainable and will mean local residents failing to get school places for their children, queuing longer in local traffic congestion and waiting longer for an appointment to see their GP.”