RESIDENTS on a Cross Hills housing estate are demanding to know the whereabouts of cash they paid towards the upkeep of a children's play area.

The play area was to be built as part of the Clayton Hall housing estate, off Skipton Road, and many householders paid a sum of money in their purchase price towards its continual upkeep.

But four years after the estate was completed the play area has failed to materialise.

Now those who parted with cash are demanding to know what's happened to it and whether the play area will ever see the light of day.

This is just one of the issues they are keen to take up with Leeds-based Britannia Developments. They are in the process of forming a residents' association so they can put forward their concerns with one voice.

When the plan for the houses was approved five years ago a play area was not included as a condition of planning permission being granted, but it is clearly shown on the plans drawn up by architects which were passed by the council in May 1995.

No subsequent application has been received to delete the play area from the plan.

At the moment the site remains as an unkempt grassed area and no play equipment has ever been installed. Now parish councillors in Glusburn have taken up the residents' case after hearing nothing has been done with the patch of land.

They fear that unless Britannia is forced to build the playground it promised, the land could be used to build yet more houses on the estate.

Glusburn parish and county councillor Tim Cole told fellow parish councillors at their meeting last week: "It was part of the planning application that a play area would be built on the estate but there's been no development of that site whatsoever. In fact it's been left as it was.

"If it was part of the planning application then it should be enforced. If this area is left and no playground it put there then I can see it being developed for housing."

Coun Cole said he believed residents living on the estate had paid towards the upkeep of the play area.

And one resident, who did not wish to be named, said she and her husband had paid £100 for that purpose when they moved into their new home.

The Herald contacted Britannia Developments who had not returned our call at the time of going to press.

o Glusburn Parish Council has written to Craven planners to remind them of its objections to green fields being developed for homes.

Its action was sparked following a planning application for houses in Sutton.

The parish council feels if that site was to be developed it could open the floodgates for similar planning applications on fields in Glusburn.