COMMUNITY groups in Otley have reacted strongly to this week’s hybrid planning application for a huge development to the East of Otley for a mixed use site of 700 houses and a major new link road.

The community groups, the East of Otley Action Group and Wildlife Friendly Otley, which represent the wider community, the majority of whom are against the development and loss of this important local green space and wildlife habitat, issued a statement in response to the publication of the hybrid planning application by the Otley East Consortium.

They say the plan by the Otley East Consortium involving Persimmon and Leeds City Council has totally ignored most of the submissions made by the groups and thousands of residents to a preliminary consultation only four moths ago in January.

“We recognise that Otley needs more affordable housing and other amenities, but the East of Otley site is unsuitable for a variety of reasons, and this scheme is totally disproportionate for the size of the town. Originally, and still as recently as January, the plan was for 550 houses on a 50 hectare site. Now they have increased the number of houses by a staggering 30 percent to 700 and an extra 7 hectares. The rationale behind the new link road is to relieve congestion in Otley but this many houses, a new school and land for employment will not only increase traffic but also put a huge strain on services such as GP surgeries and other overstretched amenities.

“In February 2020 Otley residents voted by a huge majority for the Otley Neighbourhood Plan which laid out principles and standards on housing, employment development and environmental protections. It was ratified by Leeds City Council.

The statement continued: “The Otley Neighbourhood Plan appears to have been totally ignored by Leeds City Council who are part of the consortium. We are entitled to ask whose interests are the Council serving: the developers or the people of Otley? We would also question how this plan fits in with the commitments made to sustainability goals of the Leeds Climate Emergency Commission.

“The planning application is 3,700 pages long and will take some time to digest but on first reading, there are no absolute commitments to sustainable materials, to future-proofing the houses, to delivering 35 percent affordable houses or to making a 10 per cent biodiversity net gain on site. Currently the site is fields with rich habitats including hedges, copses and ancient trees and plenty of wildlife such as deer, badgers, foxes, owls, bats and a wide range of plants and birds. The development will devastate the wildlife and our requests in the consultation for a wildlife tunnel or pipes under the link road and protection of wildlife corridors and trees have been denied.

“It certainly appears that the Otley Neighborhood Plan, the Leeds Habitat Network and even the declared Climate Emergency have been disregarded. The consortium’s plan is based on old thinking and is out of date. Things have changed. This was an opportunity to have an exemplar development for sustainable housing and meaningful measures to protect the rich natural environment. As it stands, the planning application looks set to have only negative effects on Otley people and our wildlife, and as such we are forced to oppose it.”

The campaign groups are urging Otley residents to look at the planning application 21/01671/OT on the Leeds City Council website www.leeds.gov.uk and register to make submissions. Both groups are issuing notes and guidance on their websites and social media for people keep up to date with the latest developments and to find out what they can do to get their voice heard. www.eastofotleyaction.co.uk and wildlifefriendlyotley.org.uk