Delight at Yeadon Banks village green decision (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Delight at Yeadon Banks village green decision

8:20am Wednesday 23rd May 2012 in Otley

Yeadon Banks has been saved from the threat of development after a Supreme Court decision to protect its village green status.

The ruling has also established an important point of law, according to campaigners, who believe it has finally brought the long-running saga to an end.

Yeadon Banks will now be confirmed as a Village Green, following the decision by the Supreme Court to refuse Leeds Group plc permission to appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling.

The land was registered as a village green by Leeds City Council in 2007, but community campaigners were forced to keep on fighting after attempts by Leeds Group plc – which owns some of the 12-acre site – to overturn the decision.

The Supreme Court decision was welcomed by Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland who has raised the issue in Parliament.

Mr Mulholland said: “Having worked closely with the local community and having raised the issue on a number of occasions, including on the floor of the House of Commons, I am absolutely delighted that the Supreme Court has now refused to allow Leeds Group plc to appeal,” he said. “It is disgraceful that despite several years having passed since the application was initially submitted to register Yeadon Banks as a village green, Leeds Group continued to oppose the application in an effort to free up the land for development, against the wishes of the community.”

Councillor Ryk Downes (Lib Dem, Yeadon and Otley) said: “It is a relief – good sense has prevailed and what has been enjoyed by the people of Yeadon for many years will now continue to be undeveloped.”

The Open Spaces Society, which has backed the campaign, was delighted that leave to appeal had not been granted. Nicola Hodgson, case officer for the Open Spaces Society, said: “We are relieved that Yeadon Banks is at last safe. It has been a long battle.”

The Leeds Group declined to comment.

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