Residents in Otley and Yeadon are being urged to name buildings and sites that should be protected as local landmarks.

Councillor Colin Campbell is asking people to suggest places that could be included on a list of Assets of Community Value.

Under new localism powers, the locations and properties on the list, which can include parks, pubs and shops, would receive an extra level of protection from unwelcome development.

Coun Campbell said: “Yeadon Town Hall and Otley’s Civic Centre are obvious examples of buildings at the heart of the community, but there are dozens of smaller sites, from shops, pubs and houses to green spaces, which, if they were to disappear, would leave a gap in their town. The Government recently introduced legislation to help protect these sites from inappropriate development, but people first have to apply to have these sites put on a list of Assets of Community Value.

“I’m therefore asking residents to help draw up this list by thinking about where they live and letting me know which places they value.

“If a site placed on the list then ever came up for sale, this would give it greater protection and also give the community the opportunity to potentially take the site over, to run for everyone’s benefit.”

The call is being supported by Otley Town Council, which will incorporate ‘community asset’ sites into the Neighbourhood Plan it is currently working on.

Town council leader, Councillor John Eveleigh, said: “We will be gathering this kind of information as part of the neighbourhood plan process, and we would encourage people to come forward with suggestions.

“Once we launch the Neighbourhood Plan in a few weeks, people will be able to come and see what we’re working on, give feedback and make suggestions for this list.”

Otley Neighbourhood Plan, once formally adopted, will also add another layer of protection to the town, as developers will have to show they have taken it into account before they submit a new housing scheme.

Contact Coun Campbell at Colin.Campbell@leeds.gov.uk to submit ‘community asset’ suggestions.