Campaigners have urged a planning inspector to end “seven years of visual blight” by forcing landowners to green over an Otley eyesore.

The plea was made at the final day of a public inquiry which will decide what will happen next to the former Bridge End Auction Mart site.

The land has been left derelict, with areas of concrete hardstanding and rubble, since the auction mart’s buildings were demolished in 2005 – the business closed in 2000.

Leeds City Council, which originally asked for the plot to be tidied and restored six years ago, served Parkmount Estates in 2010 with a notice to comprehensively clean up and grass over the conservation area site.

But the company – which had a 30-space car park plan for the plot rejected after an earlier 60-home scheme was refused – appealed.

Addressing planning inspector David Pinner, Conserve Otley Riverside Campaign chairman Penny Mares said: “We are left with a site in the conservation area which has steadily deteriorated in the 12 years, and a planning system which seems powerless to do anything about it.

“And each time the appellant puts forward inappropriate plans, public money is involved. Each time he appeals, taxpayers foot the bill.

“We have set out our view of the environmental and social factors which will constrain future development on the site – its role as functional floodplain, climate change, which will bring wetter winters with more extreme and unpredictable flooding, and the Environment Agency’s objection in principle to residential development.

“On top this are the aspirations of the local community and the town and city council for the riverside area.

“It seems reasonable therefore to expect that only very limited development will be deemed sustainable and appropriate.

“In the meantime the high visibility of the site to every resident and visitor who crosses Otley Bridge increases the urgent need for a firm decision that will end seven years of visual blight.”

Read more in the Wharfedale Observer.