Bid to build 140 homes on Leeds greenbelt land is rejected

AN APPLICATION FOR a development of 140 homes on greenbelt land has been rejected - to the delight of campaigners who have opposed the plans since their creation in 2016.
Date: 26th April 2018.
Picture James Hardisty.
Protesters from Bardsey Action group outside Leeds Civic Hall demonstrating over the plans that 140 homes are to be build on greenbelt land in the village. Pictured Resident of Bardsey (left to right) Gabriel Barreto, and Des Hatfield, holding a banner ' Save Bardsey Greenbelt' whilst campaigners look-on.Date: 26th April 2018.
Picture James Hardisty.
Protesters from Bardsey Action group outside Leeds Civic Hall demonstrating over the plans that 140 homes are to be build on greenbelt land in the village. Pictured Resident of Bardsey (left to right) Gabriel Barreto, and Des Hatfield, holding a banner ' Save Bardsey Greenbelt' whilst campaigners look-on.
Date: 26th April 2018. Picture James Hardisty. Protesters from Bardsey Action group outside Leeds Civic Hall demonstrating over the plans that 140 homes are to be build on greenbelt land in the village. Pictured Resident of Bardsey (left to right) Gabriel Barreto, and Des Hatfield, holding a banner ' Save Bardsey Greenbelt' whilst campaigners look-on.

The North and East Leeds Plans Panel rejected the planning application made by the Brahmam Park Estate and Sandby (Bardsey) Ltd to build the homes off Wetherby Road in Bardsey today at Leeds Civic Hall.

Bardsey Action Group (BAG), which reformed in 2016, has been involved in a hard-fought battle to protect the greenbelt land where the proposed houses would have been built.

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They came to the meeting on what they labelled as ‘the day of reckoning’ and held banners and placards to raise awareness.

BAG member Tim Gittins said: “I’m very happy. Considering we started campaigning against this site being released from the greenbelt in 1992, we’re very pleased.

“But, as somebody said, the threat may never go away and that’s the case with a lot of the sites around Bardsey.”

The applicants argued that more than £10m is needed by the estate to repair heritage buildings - an issue they argued was a “special circumstance” case for building on greenbelt land.

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But, in a report to the panel, planning officers recommended the plan to be refused, saying those circumstances did not justify the development. In today’s final decision, councillors voted unanimously against the plans.

Panel chairman Neil Walshaw said: “It was absolutely the right decision to make, we need to protect greenbelt policy. While we are very understanding of the heritage issues, they [Bramham Park Estate] did not make a strong enough case.”

A spokesman for the applicant did not wish to comment.

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