OTLEY'S MP has received written assurances about the East of Otley housing scheme.

Persimmon Homes, the lead developer behind the 550-home project, has made ten 'guarantees' in a letter to Alex Sobel (Lab, Leeds North West).

The move follows a meeting with the company last week when Mr Sobel sought clarification about Persimmon's desire to enlarge the development site.

In September it emerged that the firm had submitted revised proposals to extend the boundary further east and include the site of the old Ings household waste tip.

Persimmon insisted the move was motivated solely by the practicalities of producing an East of Otley Relief Road - which has to be built as part of the housing project.

Many in the local community, however, were sceptical.

In its letter to the MP, dated November 10, Persimmon states that: "The developer(s) remain committed to the delivery of the East of Otley Relief Road, 550 new homes, replacement sport pitches, a new school, elderly accommodation and employment land on this allocated development site."

Turning to the issue of changing the site boundary, it adds: "We confirm that, through the Local Plan process, we are seeking to amend the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) allocation boundary along the anticipated alignment of the relief road.

"This has now been subject to much technical highway work, which is what the UDP boundary sought to do.

"This work was not available at the last UDP Inquiry when the allocation boundary was drafted.

"For the avoidance of doubt, any alteration is not driven by a desire to increase the number of houses on the site but is based on sound technical and highway safety rationale.

"There is absolutely no intention for vehicular access (construction or residential) to be provided from existing adjacent residential streets."

Mr Sobel welcomed those assurances.

He said: "It is understandable that, the closer we get to development, slight changes will be made as more detailed analysis of the site and final planning takes place.

"It is vital therefore that we as a community are properly informed and get to scrutinise anything that is put forward by the developers or city council.

"I have received guarantees that there will be no vehicle access from existing residential streets and that the relief road will be the only access to the development.

"Infrastructure is hugely important and I am pleased there is a commitment to build the entire relief road before anyone moves into the site.

"We must also ensure school places and that the development consists of the promised employment hub, as Otley has been losing employment land hand over fist for years.

“I look forward to further productive conversations with council officers, developers and, most importantly, members of the community."

He added that the future use of the former Ings tip, which is to be remediated, is still to be decided but he was hopeful it could be secured as a mainly green space.