OTLEY and Yeadon's ward councillors have provided a list of reasons why proposed future housing plans are 'unsound'.

Leeds City Council's consultation about the draft Site Allocations Plan – a blueprint which earmarks areas for development up to 2028 – finished on Monday.

Otley Town Council drew up its reasons for objecting to the proposals in their current state – mainly based on the number of new homes being unsustainable – last week.

Now the Otley and Yeadon ward's three Liberal Democrat councillors – Ryk Downes, Sandy Lay and Colin Campbell – have revealed how they responded.

They said: "We believe the plan is unsound for a number of reasons.

"The council has used incorrect population data/demand to assess housing need across the city.

"We appreciate there needs to be development, but the proposals have led to an over-provision of sites in the the LDF (Local Development Framework).

"We believe this will allow developers to cherry-pick greenbelt sites, which will lead to more development on sites that local and national policy would normally discourage, while preventing development on brownfield sites that would conform to national policy."

They go on to claim Leeds has failed to follow local and national policy in terms of the sustainability of the scale of development being proposed, which would see Otley increase in size by about 22 per cent.

And they are also critical about former Unitary Development Plan sites being "transferred over without any examination of their present suitability, or whether they would meet the same criteria as proposed for new sites".

The councillors also cited the lack of public transport proposals, protection for existing employment sites, details for how affordable housing targets would be met and of green amenity space among their causes for concern.

They concluded: "We would urge that it – the proposals – be revised to form a more appropriate framework to move forward the development of Otley, Yeadon and the wider city."

lWhat do you think? We welcome letters on this or any other subject. E-mail richard.parker@nqyne.co.uk or write to the Content Editor, Gazette and Observer, 38 High Street, Skipton BD23 1JU. Please include your full name, address and daytime telephone number.