Cllr Sandy Lay is calling on Leeds to be honest about their proposals for housing development in the Otley and Yeadon areas.

“We know that the Councils Local Development Framework (LDF) will propose that 3,660 houses a year will be built in the Leeds City area each year for the next five years,” says Cllr Lay, “and that more housing land will need to be found in the five years beyond that. Leeds have made it clear that this means that green fields and more worryingly green belt in the Otley and Yeadon area will be targeted to provide a proportion of the developments.

Otley has been threatened for the last twenty years by the prospect of a large housing estate east of the town,” continued Cllr Lay. “There were also plans for a development north of the river. I am concerned that any further proposals will mean eating into the green belt and destroying the rural aspect of the town.

Major developments in Otley or Yeadon will have a dramatic effect on the area. The road infrastructure is currently at breaking point and public transport, local schools and medical services are already under severe pressure, more housing will mean they deteriorate further.

It is only fair that the Council let local people know the scale of their proposals which are set to cause major changes to both Wharfedale and Aireborough.”

You can read the full article with contributions from my fellow councillor Councillor Colin Campbell in this week’s Wharfedale Observer (out today) or on-line here