Worried residents claim plans to build thousands of homes and a major new road in east Leeds threaten to wreck their village’s quiet way of life.
As previously reported the Yorkshire Evening Post, city council bosses are considering proposals for an East Leeds Orbital Road to support the development of up to 7,000 homes.
But people living in the village of Scholes have reacted with alarm to plans they say would lead to the “urbanisation” of their area.
They have now launched a Save Our Scholes (SOS) campaign group to fight the proposals.
SOS group member Amanda Munro, who has lived in Scholes for 13 years, told the YEP: “This isn’t a case of ‘not in my back yard’, we appreciate that homes need to be built somewhere.
“It’s the scale of what is being proposed that is giving us concern. The scheme will not regenerate east Leeds, it will mean the urbanisation of Scholes and other places like Aberford, Barwick and Thorner.”
SOS estimates 4,000 of the new homes that would make up the proposed East Leeds Extension development area would be built near Scholes.
The corridor-like piece of land earmarked for the East Leeds Extension covers about 560 acres.
From its north-western tip on the A6120 outer ring road at Shadwell, it heads in a south-easterly direction between Swarcliffe and Scholes down to the Leeds-York railway line near Cross Gates.
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A number of private developers have already submitted planning applications for homes at various places along the corridor.
Councillors agreed on Wednesday to spend £150,000 on a study that would explore the feasibility of a new £100m East Leeds Orbital Road serving the extension area.
People wanting to get involved with the SOS campaign are asked to e-mail: saveourscholes@gmail.com
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