AN accident blackspot in Yeadon could be improved - if plans for 64 houses on the old gas works site off Gill Lane are approved, writes John Baron.

Traffic lights would be installed at the developers' expense at the notorious Gill Lane- New Road (A65) junction.

At Tuesday's development control panel west meeting, Councillor Mike Dunn (Lab, Aireborough) said residents largely supported the plans.

He said: "If nothing else, the provision of traffic lights at the junction will allow people to feel safe crossing the busy main road where there have been several accidents. Many school children cross the road there to get to their bus and this would improve their safety."

A report to the meeting said that minor amendments are required before the plans can be passed. These included re-siting some houses, concerns about on-site green space, concerns about land contamination and the need for more affordable housing on the site.

Negotiations between the developer and the council will continue.

Historic reprieve

AN historic Horsforth building has won an 11th hour reprieve.

Controversial plans to build more than 40 flats at the old St Gabriel's Boys Home in Scotland Lane were deferred after it was

discovered just hours before the meeting that the Department of the Environment has placed a Grade II listing on it.

The plans, which had met with 129 letters of objection and a petition of almost 240 names, had been opposed by MP Paul Truswell, Horsforth Town Council, the Civic Society, Town Councillor Mick Grubb and Councillor Chris Townsley (Lib Dem, Horsforth)

Coun Townsley said: "I am absolutely delighted. The ball is now in the developers' court. They could either appeal against the listing, convert the existing building into flats which I don't think would run into much objection from residents, or pull out completely. Listing the building gives it great

protection and rewards a well-fought residents' campaign."

Meanwhile, plans for 12 flats on Kerry Garth were also approved, despite concerns about parking problems in the area, as was a worship meeting room for the Ashley Meeting Room Trust at St Margaret's Avnue and Church Avenue.

New medical centre

A TWO storey medical centre with chemists' shop will be built off South View Road, Yeadon.

The new Yeadon Health Centre, at the back of the Town Hall, will result in the existing flat-roofed medical centre being demolished. The centre had outgrown its current building and health chiefs had wanted to include a chemists in the building as an amenity for older people.

In the ten months it takes the demolition and building work to be completed, the surgery will be housed in a prefabricated temporary medical centre on the site.

At the meeting, Coun Mike Dunn welcomed the plans but queried whether it was necessary to have another chemists shop as there are already a number of them in the centre of Yeadon.

Shop change

Changing the use of a shop into offices at The Old Grammar School in Manor Square, Otley, was approved but a plan to change a barn to a four-bedroom house at Maple Grange, Ilkley Road, was refused because it is in the Green Belt.