"NO TO DEVELOPMENT!" Say Otley Residents

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 18th Jan 2005

Otley residents have given a big thumbs down to recent proposals for an 850 house development proposed for the east of the town.

Local Campaigner, Cllr Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson) and Otley and Yeadon Liberal Democrats surveyed every house east of Otley to ensure that local residents got to have their say as soon as a firm proposal for the development was on the table.

Nearly 90% of people surveyed felt the number of houses was too high, whilst 71% were opposed to any development on the site.

Cllr Greg Mulholland says, "This says loud and clear that people in Otley don't want a development here. People have expressed real concern about increased problems with traffic, the effect on the infrastructure of the town and pressure on local schools that are already oversubscribed."

Cllr Graham Kirkland adds, "We felt that local people were presented with this plan as something of a fait accompli, which is appalling, which is why we felt is was so important to consult".

There are also question marks over the suitability of the site for any development, particularly concerning flooding, something Cllr Colin Campbell has been saying for several years. The Lib Dem Councillors will all be opposing the development when it comes to the stage of planning permission.

They have also questioned whether there really needs to be any development here. Says Cllr Mulholland, "Surely in the whole of the Leeds City Council area there are more suitable sites for development rather than this one which will put too much pressure of Otley and take away attractive rural land?".

Cllr Mulholland concludes "We will be passing on the results of our survey so that there is no doubt that local people are against this development. Our message to the developers is that it is not wanted here and to go back and think again".