'˜We will fight against plan for 450 houses'

Developers Taylor Wimpey and Ashland Land And Property have submitted a proposal to build the houses, and public space, at land off Park Lane in the village.

The site is earmarked to be ‘safeguarded’ from development until 2028 under Leeds City Council’s latest Local Plan - a blueprint for future development in the area, which is currently being considered by the Secretary of State.

But the company told residents earlier this year that it intended to request planning permission for the site.

Stephen Murray, the chairman of Allerton Bywater Parish Council, said the authority would object to the proposal.

“Most of the village don’t want the homes because of the large amount of development already in the village, particularly with the Millennium development.

“The council will be opposing it as are the ward councillors and are quite confident that it will be rejected. There’s no infrastructure to support it.”

Coun Murray said an adjacent piece of land, going back towards Brigshaw High School, was also earmarked for the eventual development of up to 500 homes taking the total to more than 900. He added: “If these go-ahead, we will be joined up to Kippax. It’s becoming urban sprawl.”

According to Taylor Wimpey, the site north of Park Lane was removed from the Green Belt in 2001 and designated as ‘safeguarded’ land until 2016.

The company said the city council now wanted to extend this safeguard period, delaying any development until 2028.

But in planning documents, it said: “The council currently has limited housing options to maintain a five year supply. The council has in the last 12 months been approving development of the safeguarded land sites.”

The plans include a mixture of one to five bedroom homes, accessed off Park Lane. The company’s planning documents state that “large areas of woodland” would be retained at the site and along its boundaries.

In a pre-application meeting, planning officers raised concerns about the timing of the proposal in relation to the Local Plan process, on behalf of local councillors.