REDEVELOPMENT plans for an industrial site in Otley have been branded ‘badly designed and poorly thought out’.

Otley Town Council, in its formal response to proposals for Ashfield Works, has raised a number of ‘major concerns’ - and is urging Leeds City Council to reject the scheme.

As reported in January, Norwood Homes (Westgate) LLP is hoping to build a new care home and supermarket, along with a number of residential properties and retail units, on the largely derelict plot.

The development would involve some of the old, unused buildings being demolished while a former printing press manufacturing building would be converted.

A new pay and display car park would also be created as part of a proposal that Norwood Homes claims would give the town an economic boost.

The Town Council however, whose comments will be considered by Leeds planners when they evaluate the scheme, believe that:

*The three storey, 66 bedroom care home for the area north of Westgate would be over-dominant and have poor access

*The large car park earmarked for south of Westgate ‘would be in a backland location, with poor access, poor security and limited use’

*The application’s attempt to link ‘two very different areas within one development...just does not work’.

The council’s statement says: “The developer has completely failed to address the highways issues the development will bring.

“The Manor Square junction is one of the most congested in Leeds and current traffic levels across the local network are high, an increase in volumes particularly of standing traffic, would have a serious environmental effect.

“Though the council would like to see the area developed they believe this is a poorly thought out, badly designed proposal and well below what would be expected on this important site within the Otley Conservation area; and are concerned that, because of changing trends and lack of clear vision, much of the site will remain derelict.”

Councillor Colin Campbell (Lib Dem, Otley & Yeadon) told the Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer: “I am very concerned about this application.

“The developer has failed to address many of the concerns raised by residents, particularly around highways, and the proposals themselves seem poorly thought out and do not appear to reflect the aspirations for quality we would demand for Otley.”

The application can be viewed by searching for 17/07108/FU at https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications/ .