AN MP is backing constituents who say their views are being ignored as Leeds City Council prepares to formally adopt its Site Allocations Plan.

Residents say the SAP will have a disastrous effect on Aireborough - with important green belt being lost and a flood plain being built on.

This week the area’s MP Stuart Andrew said: "I am absolutely astounded by the outcome of the Inspectors Report and I am entirely unable to see how they came to the conclusion that such an ill-thought out plan can simply go ahead with a few minor adjustments. I have been engaging with my constituents and local neighbourhood planning groups on this ever since the first Site Allocation Plan was published and I am entirely in agreement with the concerns they are having.

"I will be raising this as a matter of urgency with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to see how affected residents and campaigners can resist these extremely damaging plans to delete our greenbelt as it has become apparent that none of the parties involved in this extremely flawed process are listening. It is particularly disappointing that Leeds City Council have failed to listen to their own residents."

Jennifer Kirkby, from Aireborough Neighbourhood Development Forum, said sites under threat include land on Ings Lane.

She said: "This is green belt that separates Menston and Guiseley and also a flood plain for Mire Becks. Flood plains should not be built on but LCC is going to approve a plan to build 160 houses here."

Another of the sites earmarked for development is Wills Gill.

Ms Kirkby said: "Heritage England are concerned about a road over this site that will destroy the rural setting of the medieval tofts and crofts as well as Old Guiseley."

She added: "This site is absolutely crucial for Guiseley’s cultural heritage and is about to be ruined."

Guiseley and Rawdon councillor Graham Latty is also speaking out about the Site Allocations Plan which is expected to be adopted at a meeting of the full council on July 10.

He said: "As a councillor who has been opposing the SAP and its disastrous effects on Aireborough from the very start I am in complete agreement with Jennifer.

"We find ourselves still with new houses being wished on us and still without any Brownfield land to accommodate them.

"The removal of the Broad Locations still leaves us with precious Green Belt, farm pasture and the buffer between Guiseley and Menston under serious threat.

"We face the prospect of having these sites built at the will of the developers and our arguments completely disregarded.

"There is also a total disregard for the lack of Infrastructure provision; all the houses that have been built here in the last15/20 years have produced not one yard of new road ( other than estate roads of course)and there is still none planned. We have no better medical or dental provision and there are no plans to cater for the children these new homes will inevitably produce."

Clive Woods from Aireborough Civic Society said: "We feel our efforts are being undermined by decision makers and inspectors who ignore the problems we face through overdevelopment as most of our employment sites became housing estates. Like others, we have spent many hours commenting in detail on the proposals - and nothing changes. We feel we are wasting our time."

"In the past 30 years hundreds of new homes have been built in Aireborough despite the A65 and A658 being heavily congested and not just at peak times, but at weekends.

"Why don't they take the amount of new build in the past into account when allocating more new housing?"

He stressed: "We have always been disappointed in the performance of the Planning Inspectorate when looking at local plans and appeals. They should take responsibility for the current problems that we have and not add to them by allowing yet more development without proper improvements."

Menston and Guiseley Greenbelt Protection Group said the Ings could be built on by 2023.

The group said: "It looks like all the letters we wrote, all the points we made - the lack of infrastructure, the congested roads, the overcrowded trains, the loss of green belt, the loss of agricultural land, the fact that the land floods and helps alleviate further flooding downstream, that the fields are regularly used for nesting by lapwings and that flocks of Curlews feed there, that Guiseley and Menston will be looking at each other over a hedge instead of a field and will in effect be joined together, made no impression."

"The Inspector's Report, now out, has approved for housing all four Aireborough Green Belt housing sites, Ings Lane, Hollins Hill, Wills Gill and Victoria Avenue. Also the Airport Employment Hub which is on Green Belt land. The Coach Road/Silverdale Allotments - a Greenfield site has also been approved."

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: "We recognise that people care deeply about their local area and understand there will always be concerns about any new proposals. However, the government-appointed independent inspectors concluded that the Site Allocations Plan is sound, legally compliant and provides an appropriate basis for planning the city.

"Every area of Leeds is included in sharing the housing requirement and Aireborough is identified for just three per cent of the total needed. All sites within the plan are subject to the same thorough mitigation measures, including for flood alleviation.

"Inspectors also noted that site selection requirements were justified and had considered appropriate mitigations, including flood alleviation. They confirmed they approved of the approach to Green Belt sites, which included impact assessments. "