Residents voice their housing fears

Aireborough councillors Mike and Moira Dunn chaired a meeting at Guiseley Methodist Church last week to discuss residents' feelings about plans for the site.

The last revised plan, for 92 houses, was recently turned down by Leeds City Council, after hundreds of objections - many over the loss of a coppice on the site.

But residents also told the meeting, attended by Aireborough MP Paul Truswell and Leeds planning officer Daniel Devine, of traffic concerns, and their opposition to the number of houses previously proposed.

People from as far afield as Menston and Burley, who have grown up in Guiseley, or have relatives in the area, also came to add their views.

Ings Lane resident Kath Fisher, a leading campaigner, said: "I spoke to a couple of people at the meeting who had come up from Burley, and I think a couple came from Menston.

"They are just incensed at what is happening in Guiseley. We can't stop housing on Greenwoods.

"All we're asking is the least possible houses, and the nicest looking houses."

She said local people wanted to see Barratts and Leeds City Council take into account traffic which will also be generated from other new housing developments in Guiseley, including the Back Lane former YEB site, and the Saxon Wells development on former Silver Cross land.

Greenwoods site developer Barratt Homes has now offered to meet with a group of residents, and last week told Ings Lane residents it may hand over the areas of woodland and wetland on the site to the council.

Residents are also hoping to meet with council highways officers, to discuss their fears over traffic pouring onto Guiseley's already-busy roads from a new housing estate.

Councillor Mike Dunn welcomed Barratt's pledge. He said the meeting with highways officers will look at the effects of the Greenwoods site and other developments on the local road network and pedestrian safety.