A developer has broken two promises it made to angry residents in just 24 hours, protesters claimed today.

Bryant Homes, which is building a new luxury housing estate of 92 homes at the end of Aspen Rise in Sandy Lane, yesterday offered an olive branch to local people by writing to them individually asking for "harmony and co-operation".

The move followed a protest by locals who occupied the development site in two caravans. The company was forced to go to court to have them evicted.

Yesterday's letter from Bryant Homes promises to consult two local residents' representatives every step of the way and pledged to be a "good neighbour" by limiting site traffic to reasonable hours and using non-articulated vehicles.

But today, residents say, the company had already gone back on its word. They claim contractors arrived at 7am to secure the site and contractors' vehicles caused problems, mounting pavements and possibly blocking access for emergency vehicles.

Leading campaigner Mike Hallam said: "The contractors arrived at 7am and are goading people. They are laughing at us. They have blocked approach roads and I have reported them to Highways officials."

Local people are worried about the destruction of green sites across the Aire Valley and insist Sandy Lane neither needs nor wants 92 further homes.

They plan to continue their campaign of direct action and civil disobedience in a bid to thwart every move by Bryant Homes.

Robert Monkman, regional director for Bryant Homes, claimed yesterday: "All the people living nearby should have been made aware when buying their present homes that further development would one day take place.

"We want to proceed with this development in a spirit of harmony and co-operation."

His letter to locals suggests monthly meetings between the two sides "to constructively air concerns and explore ways forward."

"It's a bit late now," said campaigner Jean Jones. "They have refused to talk to us for the past year. It's interesting we now get a letter after moving the caravans on to the site."

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