Housing plan back for a third time

The latest application for Snittles Farm, off Gelderd Road at Wortley, has been submitted to Leeds City Council by a Darlington-based agent, but planning documents have Persimmon Homes listed as one of the site owners.

It is for 87 homes - a mix of terraced, detached and semi-detached - with 215 parking spaces and 15 of the houses across the 10 acre site will be classed as affordable.

The latest proposal comes after one was approved for the same site in May last year for 46 homes.

It was the result of a re-submission following the refusal of plans back in December 2015 for 52 houses.

Local resident, Tom Budden, who lives at Churwell village which neighbours the farm site, says there are already problems with vehicles and workmen coming in and out of the village working on another development, public pathways have been blocked off and alternative routes don’t exist.

He added: “How anybody with any common sense can even contemplate approving this is beyond me.

“Even if an access road was added at the far end of the estate, it would only become a shortcut and through road for even more vehicles. Not to mention the majority of these houses will be literally yards away from the motorway.”

However, agents ELG Planning say council planners should approve the proposal because the authority does not have a “robust” Housing Land Supply plan and should only refuse it on transport grounds.

They added that there would be increased traffic at the Elland Road/Ring Road junction but the developer will contribute towards a mitigating scheme.