Concerns over plans for housing development in Leeds village

An outline planning application has been submitted to Leeds City Council to build 35 homes off Chapel Hill Road in the village, on greenfield land currently used for pasture.

The applicants say 12 of these homes will be affordable, with the proposals including a mix of terraced, semi-detached and detached houses with up to four bedrooms.

Access to the development would be off Chapel Hill Road, on a new site road, while each house would have off-street parking.

However the proposals have sparked anger in the village, with a public meeting being held last week to discuss them.

More than 40 objections have been received by Leeds City Council, raising a range of issues including fears over increased traffic, a lack of public transport and the risk of flooding.

One objector said: “Old Pool Bank is already subject to considerable vehicular traffic and Pool Bank New Road is a very busy highway.

“Without alterations at this junction, the situation will get considerably worse.

“The application documents lay great stress on use of public transport but, since a majority of residents need access to Leeds it is important that the residents stress the lack of a direct bus service.”

The site is allocated as safeguarded land under planning policy, which means it should not be allocated for development at present.

Leeds City Council’s highways team say they cannot support the application at the moment.

Comments can be made on the application until Friday.