Too much building, too much traffic...

SIR, - We would like to comment on the Leeds UDP review, in particular the proposed East of Otley Strategic Site. This is not housing for Otley.

We may well need some low cost housing here, as Councillor Gerald McGowan suggests, but we should realise that the very large number of designated homes has been arrived at to satisfy Leeds' requirements, not ours. We should also be aware of the problems which would result from such large scale building.

Otley schools and medical provision would certainly be stretched, but far worse would be the effect on traffic congestion over a very wide area. Many of the purchasers of this housing are likely to be commuters from Leeds, who will use the A660, already a badly congested road.

Anyone who has travelled into Leeds from Otley, especially during the rush hour, will confirm what a frustrating journey it is. Congestion on this road has become noticeably worse in recent years with the new housing in Burley-in-Wharfedale and Pool and the further proposed housing in Pool will add even more cars.

While developer funding may be available under the UDP proposals for an East of Otley relief road, this would not relieve the A660 congestion or solve our existing problem in the town centre. Because of the extra volume of cars generated by such a large new estate, things would get even worse further along the road network, particularly in places like Headingley.

If, as Councillor Clive Fox suggests, additional bus services were to be funded by the developer, there is no guarantee people would use them and they would add to the A660 congestion as well, as there are no designated bus lanes until after the Weetwood roundabout. The relief road would not do much to ease the traffic problems in the town, because the North/South traffic would still need to use Westgate and Boroughgate.

Although it is a good idea to ask developers for contributions to fund transport improvements, the money so raised should be used to improve non-road transport. Since there are good existing rail links to Leeds from both East and West of Otley, any housing development money from the Otley area should be used to link Otley to these.

Is it likely that the developer will fund a relief road and bus services and still manage to keep costs down to provide Coun McGowan's ideal 75 per cent affordable homes?

Finally, the problem of flooding should be seriously considered with regard to this site. After construction, ground water which is now held in the soil will run off straight into the river at times of heavy rainfall. This will increase the flooding risk for all areas downstream.

Alan and Susan Carr

35 Moor Drive

Otley.

Ratio too high

SIR, - The Labour chairman of the town council's plans committee is asking for 75 per cent of the new houses under the East of Otley proposals to be affordable homes. At that rate, given current housing densities that could mean getting on for 500 affordable homes included in the development.

This is way beyond what would be needed to satisfy local needs. Essentially a 75 per cent proportion of affordable housing would mean huge numbers of people currently on waiting lists elsewhere around Leeds coming into Otley. Is that what he really wants, and is that what the people living nearby would wish? Fortunately, the Government would not accept such a high ratio with planning policies dictating there must be a mix of the types of housing on new estates.

They would never accept a new development with more than a third affordable housing so there is little point in the town council's plans committee demanding more.

There are many aspects of the East of Otley proposals which need to be carefully considered, not least the impact on the environment, the feasibility of building close to the washlands and whether indeed many of the HGVs currently travelling through Otley will find the extended by-pass an attractive route.

Last week's meeting of the Communuity Involvement Team revealed a good deal about the proposals and their impact on the town. One thing to emerge is that when sand and gravel extraction begins at the adjacent Midgeley Farm site off Pool Road, the planners will have no powers to require the operators to use an extended by-pass for HGV traffic.

That extraordinary situation will be of little comfort for people living in Pool. Clearly the East of Otley proposals are important for the town as well as the wider area and I would urge people to make use of the Freepost facility and write giving their views by February 18 to The Director of Planning,Leeds UDP Consultation,Freepost NEA2123, Selectapost 5, Merrion House, 100 Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8ZY

Coun Clive Fox

99 Breary Lane East,

Bramhope,

Nr Leeds.

History for £10

SIR, - Paul Hatfield wants to know what he will have for his £10 entrance fee to matches at Otley RUFC.

He will have the opportunity to watch two of the top 26 Rugby Union teams in the country playing against each other. In many instances there will be at least one current or ex-international playing. There is likely to be one player who has been picked as the only uncapped player in a Barbarians side.

These matches take place on a pitch which is well known wherever Rugby Union is played. It is a ground with many memories for such players as Gareth Edwards, J P R Williams, Gerald Davies and several others of the great Welsh team of the 1970s.

The New Zealand All Blacks, the Australian Wallabies, the USA and Italy have all played here. The try of the tournament during the World Cup competition, when it was staged in Britain, was scored by Italy against the USA.

As the All Blacks and the Wallabies were both beaten here, it is almost sacred ground in Rugby Union circles. It is a stadium much liked by both players and spectators alike.

Otley was one of the founder members of the Rugby Football Union and, later, one of the founders of the Northern Union, the precursor of Rugby League.

What do you get for £10? A piece of sporting history.

Gordon Bradley

15 Kineholme Drive,

Otley.

Family search

SIR, - For some time I have been researching my family tree. Unfortunately, I waited until I moved from Yeadon and most of my family passed away before I started, which makes research much more difficult.

However, with the help of the 1901 census I have made a couple of minor breakthroughs. My great-great grandfather was James Taylor (1823 to 1880) originally from Baildon, who moved to Yeadon and started a joinery and contracting firm, eventually called Jas Taylor and sons.

After 1907 I think the name of this was changed to Townsend and Taylor. In all he had nine children and several grandchildren. I would really love to hear from anyone who has the following relations in their family, as I have lots of information to exchange.

Winifred Rebecca TAYLOR who married Hubert MURGATROYD or her brother, Hugh TAYLOR. Enid TAYLOR (born 1910), George Arthur TAYLOR (born 1907), Martha Elsie BROWN (born 1894) and James Alfred BROWN born (1897).

Even if these names do not mean anything to you, I would love to hear from any Taylor, Brown, Murgatroyd or Townsend with an interest in family history, as we may be able to make a connection.

Carol Learmouth

Trafalgar Park,

Downton,

Salisbury SP5 3QR.

carollearmouth@yahoo.co.uk

Tarn project

SIR, - I am concerned that the people of Yeadon may be in danger of being misled by a mention you made in last week's paper to £500,000 developments at Yeadon Tarn.

The funding applied for is not to improve the tarn generally but is to improve sporting and educational facilities based there, eg. activity centre, changing rooms, climbing wall, etc, and is at quite early stages.

Aireborough Community Involvement Team (CIT) in conjunction with leisure services is currently planning how to spend some quite large sums of Section 106 money on Tarnfield Park. This is money put into the community by builders and developers as a return for the many housing developments that we have had to endure in recent years.

This money is much more likely to result in improvements that will be of benefit to the whole community.

Coun Graham Latty

(Con, Aireborough),

Chairman,

Aireborough CIT,

110 Harrogate Road,

Rawdon.

Lights raise cash

SIR, - Following our festive display of Christmas lights and nativity effects to our bungalow on behalf of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity which The Wharfedale Observer and Ilkley Gazette kindly published along with photographs.

We are pleased to say that a sum of £1,381 was donated to the cause. My wife and I feel the results would not have been so great without your co-operation and the expert wording of your feature.

However, we would like to take this opportunity to request that our many thanks go out to all who have contributed, in particular to the generous donation given by a 'well wisher' after having read o our appeal in the Gazette. We look forward to being able to repeat the display in December 2003.

Peter and Gwen Hope

5 Hawksworth Drive,

Menston.

Golden occasion

SIR, - Those who were married in 1953, and will therefore be celebrating their Golden Wedding this year, are invited to a special service of blessing and thanksgiving at Ripon Cathedral on Sunday, June 15 at 3pm.

Similar services have been held over the past several consecutive years. They were wonderful and uplifting occasions, attended by hundreds of couples.

I would be very grateful for your readers' help: if they know of any such couples, could they please send me their names and addresses and I will then write to them personally. Alternatively, your readers could pass this information on to such couples, suggesting that they write direct to me for further details.

The Rev Peter Dodson

The Chapter House,

Ripon Cathedral,

Ripon,

HG4 1PE.