Greenfields Public Meeting and Labour isolation!

Last Wednesdays Public Meeting was a fascinating affair. We had initially arranged for the meeting to be held in the Council Chamber but the sheer weight of numbers meant we had to switch it to the Alexandra Hall.

The Meeting opened with a presentation form Tom Leadley to confirm details of the core strategy of Labours Local Development Framework which confirms the wider Morley's housing targets of 7,200 new houses. I confirmed information I had received from Planning which shows over 26,000 planning permissions already granted or in the pipeline. As the completion rate is something below 2000 units a year simple maths tells you you don't need any greenfield sites for the next 13 years!

The puzzle for the evening was Labour Councillor Neil Dawson's comments that he voted for the Plan but was against the target! Many residents did not understand how you can vote for something you publicly claim to be against.

The meeting then offered residents their opportunity to ask questions or comment on issue. It was particularly heart warming to see campaigners from Daisy Hill and Bruntcliffe Road coming together with other campaigners fighting to retain Morley's greenfields in a unified way.

At the end of the evening a vote was taken on whether residents supported the MBIs campaign against Labours LDF and inappropriate development at Bruntcliffe Road and Daisy Hill. The meetings overwhelmingly supported our position with just one person refusing to support - Labour Councillor Neil Dawson. Presumably he feels more loyalty to his Party Boss down at Civic Hall than the residents who voted for him!

We will continue to campaign against Labours LDF and would encourage residents to do the same. Objection letters are available at our office and can be completed there. Labours LDF is flawed and the consequences of doing nothing will mean a stark future for Morley greenfield sites.

Labour Betrayal and more dodgy dossiers

The now infamous dodgy dossier - known formally as the Local Development Plan - was agreed by the Labour Group at the Full Council Meeting last Wednesday as they rammed it through with their majority despite efforts by the MBI group and others to prevent it. The plan - which sets the wider Morley housing targets at 7200 - which can only be accommodated on Morley and Ardsley greenfield and greenbelt sites and with the impact that will have on local roads, schools and health centres - will now go out to consultation.

And how did our local Labour Councillors do after their pledges to protect local greenfield and greenbelt sites in Morley and Ardsley and Robin Hood. They capitulated and all four of them Cllr Dawson, Cllr Renshaw, Cllr Mulherin and Cllr Dunn - despite their rhetoric locally - couldn't wait to put up their hands to support this dodgy dossier renamed Labours non Local Development Plan. Its a betrayal of their local communities!

The MBIs got a bit of a kicking from the Comrades for standing up for our communities with claims that we were opening up the Council to a legal challenge. Why - because Labour locally backed Labour nationally with unrealistic and unsustainable housing targets back in 2008. We have the financial crisis and the housing collapse since and they still hang on to these bizarre targets (agreed by our own beloved MP Ed Balls when in the cabinet).

So what can be done? This is the opening skirmish in a battle local communities need to win. We need to be united to block this plan.

And what facts can we use to block it? Well. Leeds presently has granted 26,000 none developed planning permissions - most on brownfield sites - across the Leeds City Council area. Present recorded completions are about 1600 a year which means we don't need any greenfield land for a further 15 years at the present rate of Development.

And what about the economic benefits of development on greenfield sites? The economic benefit to local communities in unproven with most Developers bring in their own (non local) teams to do the work. Additional new homes bonus money and Community Infrastructure Levy money also goes into the Council. There are no guarantees that one penny comes Morley's way and - with a Labour majority at Leeds City Council - you can almost guarantee where the money will be spent!

We are encouraging people to lodge formal objections to the plan over the next 6 weeks. We will continue our battle to retain Morley and Ardsley greenfield and greenbelt sites. This battle is too important for us to loose!

Hopewell Farm Clean Up!

It is often important - at the time your campaigning on the big issues such as greenbelt protection or retaining policing levels - that you don't forget the quality of life issues that impact on peoples everyday lives. This includes the community they live in and what can be done practically to improve their environment.

And that's way I am striding out with my colleagues on Saturday 25th February- litterpickers and plastic bags in hand - to do a community litterpick on the Hopewell Farm Estate commencing at 10am.

We will be delivering two community skips for local residents to use to help us give the estate an early spring clean. I think it is vital to go out an meet the community on these occasions who will often keep you updated on the challenges their community faces while helping to keep the area a bit tidier.

We have been on the Hopewell Farm Estate before and it has been a positive experience as the community has joined us to form a partnership to improve the environment and clear what is a pleasant green space in the centre of the estate.

We have introduced new street cleansing rounds in the area and - even though it is early days yet - we are seeing more street cleansing staff tackling the areas and locations that need clearing up and a better focused and more targeted way. We have a series of these events lined up for the future. Check this blog and the Morley Observer to see when we are likely to be in your area.

Here's to a rubbish day next Saturday!

LDF Plan - more dodgy dossiers from Labour!

A dossier on proposals for Leeds City Councils Local Development Plan (LDF) is presented to Executive Board for approval this afternoon. The dossier - which is as dodgy as Blair's WMD Iraq dossier - claims we need 7200 new homes across the Morley area (that's almost 500 every year for 15 years!) to absorb the additional population growth for Leeds.

The figures are indeed questionable. The dossier claims that Leeds has grown substantially over the last 20 years but a quick look at a document from LCCs Planning Department published in 1974 shows the population has grown by little more than 10,000 over the last 38 years. This desire - which is testosterone fuelled - for Leeds to be a mega city of 1 million by 2030 is not realistic, achievable or desirable.

The housing plans - leaked to the MBIs several weeks ago - show Morley Greenfield sites on the hit list while other areas get off with limited development. The map generated by the Planners claims up to 13,000 new homes as Morley is designated as a "major settlement" with up to 1000 homes proposed for Gildersome as well as up to 2,000 for East Ardsley. The present infrastructure cannot take this level of development and a quick glance at the map shows other greener areas of the City protected.

And where does the money go from all these new homes if they are built. Some assessments state that the new homes with infrastructure contributions and the new homes bonus will generate £40 million. This is passed to LCC for them to spend on their "priority areas". You can guarantee Morley and its associated villages wont be one of them!

The conclusion to reach is that Morley, because of its location, takes all of the pain and Leeds - especially the Inner City - gets all of the benefit!

Morley's full and we will battle to protect every greenbelt and greenfield site!

Bruntcliffe Road/Daisy Hill Update - your not paranoid if they are really after you!

It is curious why Developers are desperately seeking planning permission on both Daisy Hill and Bruntcliffe Road so they can rip up these Morley greenfield sites. Why the rush or am I being paranoid?

Of course the answer is quite simple. When Labour agreed to allocate both sites for housing in their UDP plans in 2001 it was only a deal they can offer to Developers until the UDP is superseded by its new plan the Local Development Framework (LDF).

It is perfectly possible for both sites to be removed from the housing allocation later this year while new sites are found for Labours proposals for over 7,000 new houses across the Morley area.

Neither sites are sustainable as the demand they collectively place on local roads, drainage schemes, schools and health centres will overwhelm an already creaking infrastructure in Morley.

We will continue to campaign against such overwhelming proposals as we believe every last blade of grass and every wildflower is worth preserving across all of Morley's Greenfield sites.

Labour's Secret Plans to build 6000 houses in Morley

Both the Morley Ob and the YEP ran articles about the secret briefing Labour Leaders on Leeds City Council received on proposal for 6,000 houses along the corridor of Dewsbury Road in Morley. Those sites on the hit list include Laneside Farm in Churwell, Topcliffe Farm and Tingley Station (the greenfield site at the top of Dewsbury Road adjacent to Tingley Roundabout).

Such secrecy has no place in a democracy and the fact that MBI Councillors were excluded from such a briefing shows how desperate the Labour Party is to try and keep these plans quiet.

The arguments about such excessive development are well know. Local roads - especially Churwell Hill and Dewsbury Road - are already overwhelmed with traffic, our three high schools are full (as are most of our primaries!) local health centres cannot cope with this number of new patients and local infrastructure is already creaking under the strain. These greenspaces improve residents quality of life and they prevent urban sprawl.

The responsibility for this Housing Horror lies with the Labour Party's whose local Representatives Ed Balls and Cllr Neil Dawson back the previous Labour Governments Housing Targets of 33,000 new houses across the area over the next decade. Their view is a Developers Charter which hands over large greenfield and greenbelt sites across Morley for Developers to do as they wish.

The housing proposed will be neither affordable nor accommodate residents on Morley's present housing waiting list. The properties likely on such large estates will be large executive style housing for the wealthy while local families waiting for a decent and affordable homes to rent will be offered nothing. Present brownfield sites in Morley on Bridge Street and above Chartist Way could be developed for family housing but will remain as problem sites while Developers gallop along to Morley Greenfield sites and concrete them over!

But a further leak suggest even worse news! A secret proposal which would impose 7,100 new homes is presently being prepared for discussion later this month. Talk about a Labour Party out of touch!

What can you do to help? You can join our campaign by writing can to us at the MBI Office at Morley Town Hall, Queen Street, Morley giving your views or e mail us at keepmorleygreen@yahoo.co.uk. You can text your support for our campaign by texting "support" to 07813322737 and we will make sure your objection is lodged with Leeds City Council.

Together we can defeat these Labour Proposals. Residents will remember we took on the Labour controlled Leeds City Council in 2002 when they wanted to develop greenfield sites across Morley. We defeated them then and kept our greenfield sites Green for a decade. Don't let them get away with it this time. Support our campaign to keep Morley green for the next decade!

Liberty Court Welcome

The newly completed Liberty Court on Chapel Hill in Morley is a welcomed good news story.

The housing complex, which will provide 22 two bed roomed apartments for affordable rents to local families, has been a campaign MBI Councillors have been on with for over 4 years.

The previous building that Liberty Court replaced was an eyesore and dragged the area down. It was frequented by drug addicts and had a poor reputation for anti-social behaviour.

The new housing complex will provide affordable homes for local families from Morley. Many residents will leave their over large council homes to move into their new apartment and this again will generate housing opportunities for Morley families on the present housing waiting list.

The finance came from Leeds City Council, the HCA and the Housing association and has been delivered by a committed team who have delivered this fabulous project.

This shows what can be done to hit the three targets of regenerating an area, offering new affordable homes to local people and providing council homes to local families when they move to such new accommodation. It is a virtuous triangle and has informed the three projects we have delivered at Liberty Court, Kirkness Court on Corporation Street and the new homes on Glen Road.

But storm clouds are gathering! Despite our efforts to build on previously developed brownfield sites, secret briefings have taken place and a secret document has been leaked which proposes over 6,000 houses on greenbelt land in the Morley area. More of this later but for now we can welcome this new housing development which benefits the residents in Morley.