OTLEY and Yeadon Labour Party has objected to the planning application for the East of Otley.

John Richardson Chair of the local branch said “The plans as they stand fail to give enough detail about the way it will be developed. They don’t say when the school will be built, they don’t give enough detail about how damage to the environment will be minimised and they don’t give enough detail about the quality, design and energy efficiency of the houses. If built I want this to be an exemplar development that demonstrates the very best in house building”

The submission identifies many examples of where it says the plans fail to comply with planning guidance, including the requirements set out in the Otley Neighbourhood Plan and says there is a lack of detail available about the provision of affordable housing. The submission also challenges the plan to increase house from 550 to over 700.

Labour’s Otley Town Councillor Richard Davies said “The application as it stands is totally inadequate as the basis for the biggest development in Otley for a generation. It fails to comply with the Otley Neighbourhood Plan and will seriously damage our local environment."

A spokesperson for Persimmon Homes West Yorkshire said: “This major development in the East Otley area is a joint application with Leeds City Council. Working alongside the council, we hope to provide a collection of much-needed homes that will meet a range of budgets, as well as significant community investment and facilities.”

A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “It is premature to comment on the details of the scheme but determination of the planning application will be made based on a balanced consideration of all relevant policies at national and local level, including the Otley Neighbourhood Plan which is a part of the Leeds Local Plan.

“We have received more than 2,000 comments on the scheme to date and would like to thank local residents, businesses and all other groups for their input. Following the end of the consultation period, the next stage is for the local planning authority to draw these comments together with statutory consultee responses and deliver a position statement to the council’s city plans panel on the progress of the scheme.”