HUNDREDS of people have flocked to a festival which was designed to bring Aireborough residents together.

Almost 700 people from all over the area attended the first week of the event – organised by Aireborough Neighbourhood Development Forum – which urged people to “Honour Our Past, Value Our Present and Imagine Our Future”. A wide range of events have taken place over the two-week festival, which is due to end with a film night on Saturday.

The issue of potential development of Ings Lane, Coach Road, and Gill Lane, was discussed at a special housing exhibition, where crowds poured into Guiseley Theatre to see site allocations and maps, and to talk to developers. A collection of old photographs put together by Brian Firth of the Old Guiseley Facebook page are on display along with children’s art work.

The festival has also included talks on Leeds Bradford Airport by aviation expert Ken Cothliff and the airport’s development director Tony Hallwood, as well as a talk by Carlo Harrison, of Aireborough Historical Society, and a walk around Nether Yeadon, and Old Guiseley.

The highlight of the week for many was the singing of Vocal Assembly, the Community Choir, in St Oswald’s Church, backed by youngsters from Guiseley School. A craft showcase, was well attended and the festival also featured a marketing clinic.

The event has also been used to launch a “green space audit” and has given local people the chance to meet volunteers from a wide range of local charities and community groups.

Anyone who wants to tell the developers what they think will have another chance tomorrow. Visit aireboroughnf.com for details of events.

Aireborough Neighbourhood Forum Chairwoman, Jennifer Kirkby said: “We have worked hard since 2012 to get more people involved in the neighbourhood plan, which the forum is designated by Leeds to do. Many doubted we could pull off this festival, but we have; we have a range of new members, and many more people have now input into the neighbourhood planning process – there is no substitute for local people shaping the place they live – remote planners have proved they are not up to the task. “A lot of thanks must also go to festival directors Liz Kirkpatrick, and Richard Webster, along with all the people who have helped them make this a success for Aireborough. We all have an uphill battle with the Leeds site allocations, but the festival has played a huge part in bringing people together to talk and share and that is the role of the Aireborough Neighbourhood Development Forum.”