`Leave our road alone' say Horsforth homeowners

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Thursday 23rd Jun 2005.

IT'S NOT something you hear often but worried Horsforth householders are pleading with Leeds NOT to adopt their road.

The residents of Prospect Terrace, on Kerry Hill have enjoyed stunning views over the city and put up with a bumpy, private road for decades.

But builders Chartford Developments now plan to build a row of nine three storey, four bedroom terraced houses (with separate garages) on the green-field site directly in front of their homes.

And as part of the scheme the developer has been asked by Leeds City Council to improve the road to a sufficient standard so it can be adopted by the local authority.

But resident Mark Philipson told Leeds Plans Panel (West) last week that no-one on Prospect Terrace wanted either the development or the roadworks.

He said: "The residents are unanimously opposed to this development.

"Prospect Terrace is a delightful street joining an established green field site. There's no through traffic as the street is blocked off by bollards which were put up by the council 25 years ago.

"We have grave concerns about the adoption of the road, that this could include the removal of the bollards once the road is adopted by the highways department.

"This could lead to a vast increase in traffic and completely change the character of the area. Residents are willing to seek legal advice if Leeds try to force the adoption."

Principal Planning Officer Martin Sellens, however said there was "no intention to remove the bollards and ever make this a through-road again".

But Mr Philipson, echoing objections raised by MP Paul Truswell, Horsforth Town Council and ward councillors about the height and scale of the development, listed other concerns, too

He said: "This is a street already short of parking and there will inevitably be overspill onto Kerry Hill. The most acceptable option would be for it to stay as it is, a green-field site.

"But if there had to be a development we would prefer it to have a similar roofline to the existing two storey houses."

Speaking after the meeting, fellow resident Gerard Capaldi, 65, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis (MS), said: "This is a quiet, secluded spot with great views which we will lose. But it's not just that.

"Our light will be cut by this new terrace, which is big and will be quite close to us. And three of the residents here, including myself, are virtually housebound - I retired early because of MS.

"The other thing concerning us is that they want to make up the road into an adoptable standard, which seems to include putting up street lights. We don't want that, we're quite happy with the road as is.

Mr Capaldi also expressed concern about his property deeds. "We're not sure at all what happens to our property rights if the road is made over -- do we hand over our deeds to the developer or what?

"From what I can make of the deeds our own strip of land extends from our houses to around the middle of the road."

Mr Capaldi said residents would be getting back in touch with Mr Truswell to see if anything else could be done.

Mr Sellens, however, told the panel there had been letters of support as well as objection. He said: "Prospect Terrace is where most of the objections have come from and I can understand why, because the new terrace would sit directly across from them and they do have superb views over Leeds.

"[But] a right to a view is unfortunately not a planning consideration. All in all this is a sympathetic development of this site."

The land was used as a quarry between 1840 and 1910 and then in-filled. Yorkshire Electricity had planned to build a sub-station there but sold the plot to resident David Sandham in 2003.

Mr Sandham told the meeting: "I was brought up on Kerry Hill where I've lived for 37 years and I've experienced increasing difficulties with groups of youths gathering to cause trouble, starting fires and even more worryingly, taking drugs.

"Kerry Hill is in very poor condition. This is an ideal opportunity to carry out much needed improvements."

The panel agreed to approve the scheme in principle on condition the new houses were set slightly (around a metre) further back, built using stone and that the bollards be retained and upgraded.

Planning officers will now negotiate with the developers over the conditions.

Archive Home