A COMMUNITY is united in anger against revised plans for a giant business park which residents fear will create gridlock in the area.

Residents, councillors and local groups are furious that revised plans for four office blocks and 164 parking spaces on the Dickinson's Scrap Yard site off Low Lane, Horsforth.

Opposition had mounted against the original plans, which also included the demolition of an 18th century corn mill.

Councillor Chris Townsley (Lib Dem, Horsforth) said he was furious with the plans, although he welcomed the fact that the mill was no longer earmarked for demolition and would be

preserved. "I thank them for preserving the mill, but overall the developers haven't listened to local opinion. All that's happened is that the number of blocks have been reduced from five to four, the number of parking spaces have increased by just two spaces and the overall office space has reduced from 52,900 sq ft to 52,000 - that's not enough. The main concerns are that the area around Low Lane would become gridlocked as a result of the extra

traffic and those concerns have not been addressed.

"This is an immense plan for the area and it annoys me when developers in situations like this are told to go back to the drawing board and come up with something different and then don't. Developers in general seem to think 'what can we get away with' and that is not good enough. If Leeds City Council's planning department let this through, I'll be leading the mob wanting to know why."

Horsforth Civic Society is also opposing the plans. Honorary secretary Sheila Barlow said the retention of the Corn Mill was welcome, but felt that there would still be problems with traffic and parking.

Meanwhile, the Civic Society will also be lending its opposition to two plans for mobile phone masts off Broadway.

l The next public meeting of the Society is on Wednesday (November 8, 7.30pm) at the Mechanics' Institute when speakers from Yorkshire Water will present slides and a video on the work of the organisation.