Latest in the August issue of Messenger are claims that the contractors have now applied for planning permission for 221 houses showing an increase of 40 on the number that was dangled at the village open day. I would be surprised to learn that the planning department would view this sympathetically.
Selected sections of the roadway have now had palisade fencing constructed in what appear to be gaps – it looks absolutely daft, The section pictured has been built on one of Methley’s ancient walls.
Circumference fencing of the whole site has now taken place sometime during September (2015). The Acts of Enclosure passed during the 1770’s enabled the wealthier and more acquisitive residents to fence and claim land thereby clearing labourers off the land and forcing them into the towns and cities for housing and possibly employment.
Apologists for the Act claimed that this was to fuel the labour market for the start of the industrial revolution. I can’t see any of those displaced families feeling a sense of satisfaction for bringing about the success of the the Acts given the appalling working and housing conditions that they would have experienced. Seeing the installation of the present day fencing one could be forgiven for being reminded of the year 1773.
2nd July, 2015
Bank’s Property announce in the local Express that Leeds City Council have granted full planning permission for 181 houses to be built on former farmland at the Station Road Site. They claim that the approval will enable works to be carried out offering flood protection relating to the River Aire.
As part of the scheme the developer – will also contribute finance towards school places (would love to know how they propose to do this) also provide funding to improve public transport and improvements to the highways through the village. Many would be keen to know who would monitor this!
They also claim having received a lot of local support for their plans to satisfy an increasingly urgent need to increase the supply of new homes across the area. They have certainly not been talking to many of the people who have discussed the proposals with me during the process.
Well it has taken a long time from the first suggestions, so it has not had an easy ride. It is still a probable increase in the village population of, say 500 and it still does not allay fears of further large scale housing proposals in this village.
15th October, 2014
Banks’ Property have written to various representative bodies within the village advising them that Leeds City Plans Panel at their last meeting have approved the recommendation made by officers for the Station Road Site. They advise that there are technical issues to be resolved with trial pits and boreholes and on completion of this they expect outline planning permission to be granted.
Station Road House B
uilding Proposals
It would be churlish to pursue the view that the village should not accept and should challenge the proposal to build 200 properties on the Station Road area, given that we are told there is a significant housing shortage throughout the country.
However it would be foolish to accept such a proposal without further knowing that there are many large spaces in this village and to stand back without question would invite the vendors of the land and the proposed constructors to make further planning applications in the future.AStation Road Field
Building 200 houses would in effect be absorbing a further 500 souls into the village which would be a 15% increase in the population. Apart from being inappropriate development of a green belt area it is the opinion of many that such a construction would be beyond the structure plan for village services i.e. access and egress, sewerage, schooling etc.
Recent government relaxation of planning restrictions were aimed at less rural sites than the one at Station Road. There is however an adjacent unsightly area of shrubs and bushes which is on the old colliery site and which although being much smaller in area would certainly be suitable for building on and at the same time improving the outlook.
Looking at building land requirements further afield one has to ask are the major cities accepting a 15% increase in population increases due to house building needs – don’t think so. Therefore why are Methley, Oulton and Rothwell earmarked for big hikes in population. Would it be that similar building proposals are in place for North Leeds? Doubt it.
It would also be churlish to think that Leeds City Planning Dept. will not look at this critically, I am sure that they would not wish a moderately sized estate with minimal driveways and clearances be planted on this green belt area.