FURIOUS residents and walkers are demanding to know why a field used by the public for generations has suddenly been fenced off.

The barrier, along with 'private land - no access permitted' signs from The Leeds Group plc, sprang up without warning near Haw Lane in Yeadon over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Parts of it have already been vandalised and the signs defaced.

The land is the only privately owned part of three sites that make up Yeadon Banks - an area popular with families, walkers and horse riders for more than 40 years.

The Banks used to all be Green Belt until the mid-1990s when, following a planning shake-up, the privately owned field's status became more ambiguous, making it a target for housing developers.

Since then campaigners have been fighting on two fronts, trying to have it re-instated into the Green Belt and pushing for it to be designated as a Town Green, to try and keep the site as open space.

But they fear the worst from this new move.

Haw Lane resident Graham Chaffer said: "Rawdon has its striking Billing, Otley the stunning Chevin and Yeadon this area, that brings the countryside into the town.

"This field is an intrinsic part of the Banks area. It has been used for generations as both an access way and (importantly) for recreation - now it is suddenly blocked?

"The space allocated at the field bottom for the old bridlepath by this new fence is now probably just wide enough for an anorexic pit pony!

"Leeds Group should be ashamed of taking away our views and frightening children away from innocent play. This is one land grab that Aireborough should not tolerate. The future of this area is of concern to hundreds of residents."

Gateway Drive householder Matthew Higgins said: "The land is a beauty spot people have been using to roam over for more than 20 years.

"Already, this is causing a lot of upset as people have stuck signs on the signpost saying Yeadon will fight for the land to be used for walking across.

"It also looks like some people are starting to take matters into their own hands by damaging the fence and signpost.

"This has come as a complete surprise as there has been no warning from Leeds Group that they were going to try to use the field for other purposes or stop members of the public using it as a public footpath."

While the Leeds Group, a Yeadon-based leasing company, has left a gap in the fence to allow riders to continue using a bridleway residents believe there are other rights of way crossing the land.

Horsforth and Aireborough MP Paul Truswell fears the fence and signs are a ploy by developers to try and defeat the Yeadon Town Green bid by exploiting an apparent loophole.

That's because in a recent case in Oxford the Court of Appeal decided that, provided a landowner puts up signs and fences to indicate it's private land before Town Green status is granted, the application cannot proceed.

But that decision is to be reviewed by the House of Lords and Mr Truswell and KEYBAG (Keep Yeadon Banks Green) are vowing to fight on.

He said: "The application was submitted in person by myself and Doug Jones of KEYBAG in July, 2004.

"While I appreciate that various steps had to be taken regarding legal advice and consultation, there is concern that speedier action by the council might have avoided this situation.

"We must, however, now await the outcome of the appeal in the Oxford case. This fight is far from over.

"We are still obviously awaiting the outcome of the public inquiry into the UDP, which we hope will reinstate the area affected into the Green Belt.

"If necessary, there are also steps that can be taken to apply for the path through the land to be designated as a public right of way, given its use by the community for very many years.

"I will continue to support local people in their fight to keep the Banks green."

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said: "The application to register Yeadon Banks as a town or village green is being taken extremely seriously.

"The application is currently in the hands of our legal department, who are in touch with both the applicants and the owners of the land.

"However, the law surrounding this matter is particularly complex, and the progress of both a test case and a government bill are being kept under review."

A decision on the UDP review examining the case for making the land Green Belt again, is due in November.

lThe Wharfedale & Airedale Observer contacted the Leeds Group for a comment but had received no response at the time of going to press.