A NINE year battle to regain public access to a woodland footpath in Guiseley reached its latest stage last week as Government Planning Inspector examined the case at a public inquiry.

The path runs through woodland alongside Thorpe Lane, from the A65 opposite Harry Ramsden's restaurant. Until 1986 the land was publicly owned by the former West Yorkshire County Council. It was sold off when the council was abolished, and the new owners surrounded it with fencing topped by barbed wire in 1989.

In January this year Leeds City Council, after repeated lobbying by Aireborough MP Paul Truswell and Coun Mike Dunn (Lab, Aireborough), designated the path a public right of way.

The owner, John Ogden, Properties Ltd, Thorpe Farm, Thorpe Lane, Guiseley, appealed against the decision, which prompted the public inquiry, held at Guiseley Theatre.

Mr Truswell, who gave evidence at the inquiry, said local people and ramblers from all over West Yorkshire had used the path for at least 60 years.

"Resentment at the path being blocked off have diminished, but I suspect many people had given up hope of it ever being re-opened, " he said.

"Following representations from Coun Dunn and myself, the council has done its bit, and we now await the Planning Inspector's decision.

"When the County Council was abolished in 1986 the land should have been kept in public ownership and transferred to the city council as a public asset. Instead the then Government decreed such assets should be sold to raise money for the Treasury.

"The re-instatement of the path would also make a valuable contribution to road safety. Thorpe Lane is narrow, steep and has become an increasingly busy rat-run -with no footpath for most of its length," he said.

The inquiry has now ended and the inspector's decision is awaited.

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