Campaigners are urging local councillors to reject proposals to build as many as 450 new properties on green fields close to Bingley in Yorkshire. A planning panel are due to hold a meeting to discuss the plans for a new housing estate and dozens of objectors are expected to be at the meeting to voice their concerns.
Council planners believe the houses that will attract plenty of interest from home insurance companies are needed, but the Greenhill Action Group want the plans rejected which would then result in a public inquiry. Any development would be subject to financial contributions from the developers towards improvement schemes such as roads, parks and a community centre. The site has been designated for housing for some time but campaigners feel it should never have been earmarked in the first place because of the poor access. The Greenhill Action Group has also recruited two planning consultants who hope to put the protesters case at the forthcoming meeting.
A council spokesman said: “There is substantial opposition to this development from the local community. It is clear from the letters of representation that one of the main concerns of this scheme is how traffic from this development will create highway difficulties due to the provision of a swing bridge over the canal. It is, however, considered by the council’s highway engineers that the provision of a replacement swing bridge is acceptable and there would also be new traffic lights and improvements to the other junctions.”
The council feel that any harm from the development would be less than the benefits for the area and will go a long way towards meeting the housing requirements. They also believe that the need for housing should outweigh any objection to the plan. The action group argue that the swing bridge will cause major problems if it suddenly breaks down or when emergency vehicles need access to the estate.