A public inquiry into the development of greenbelt land has been scrapped.
Residents rallying against the building of 92 homes on local beauty spot Daisy Hill in Morley will not be able to air objections against developers Persimmon Homes as the meeting has been cancelled.
Now campaigners fear Morley will be ‘concreted over’ and greenfield space lost.
Around 400 letters of objection were sent into Leeds City Council after Persimmon Homes’ initial planning application was submitted.
But much to the horror of local people a second adapted proposal was submitted by the building firm, and passed.
And Leeds City Council has pulled the plug on the inquiry set up to consider resident concerns in relation to the original application.
Dave Paul, chairman of Morley Against Reckless Construction (MARC), said he was bitterly disappointed they will not get to put views to a planning inspector, and blamed Leeds City Council for the way they had handled the application.
He said: “We have been trodden on, that is the feeling of the people that live here.
“They are not happy at all.
“The 400 letters tell you that most of the estate doesn’t want this and yet that opinion carries no weight.
“What does is take to make the council sit up and take notice?
“They have fallen over themselves for the developer and won’t be happy until they have concreted Morley over because it will be the same panel that is going to deal with all Morley applications – that frightens me.”
Objectors feared such a large estate would have a huge impact upon local road junctions and worsen existing drainage problems. Places at local schools and doctors’ surgeries are also an issue.
The letters were to be sent to the planning inspectorate in Bristol where they would have formed part of the evidence in a public inquiry in the spring.
The inquiry was called when Persimmon Homes appealed against Leeds City Council’s first refusal of their application.
It is no longer to be held after the council gave the go ahead for a second, very similar application to be handled by council planning officers, who have recommended it be approved.
Persimmon then withdrew their appeal against the first refusal.
Coun Peter Gruen, Leeds City Council executive board member for neighbourhoods, planning and support, said the second application passed after several site visits.
He said: “The council considers the development would not give rise to any unacceptable consequences for the environment, community or other public interests of acknowledged importance.”
The council released the greenfield site for housing after a series of appeals failed and costs were awarded against the council for not having a five-year supply of land available.
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