LABOUR-LED Leeds City Council has been accused by opposition members of trying to build thousands of homes on greenfield sites.

In separate attacks, Conservative and Liberal Democrat members have accused the council of failing to adequately protect the greenbelt and of failing to increase targets to build on brownfield sites.

Councillor Andrew Carter, the council's Conservative leader, claimed that the

council was planning to allow nearly 3,000 homes to be built on the greenbelt.

"This amounts to wholesale destruction of acres of land currently designated as greenbelt, and the blame lies firmly at the door of the Labour

controlled council.

"Not only have Labour included this land for building in their Unitary Development plans, but they have sought to allow building to take place even before a public inquiry has reported," said Coun Carter.

Last week at a meeting of the council's housing committee, the Liberal Democrats failed in their bid to persuade the

council to accept a target of 75 per cent of new homes to be built on brownfield sites.

Councillor Bill Winlow, (Lib Dem, Moortown) said: "Our motion was about more than just defending the green belt, important though that is.

"It was about the need to regenerate areas where housing has been demolished, to encourage people to return to living in the city centre and

to reduce pressure for development on green areas throughout the city."

And Councillor Roger Harris, a member of the

council's housing committee, said Liberal Democrats would continue to oppose unnecessary building on greenfield sites.

"Recently we've seen massive new estates at Pool-in-Wharfedale. Unspoilt areas along the Wharfe deserve

protection, but so do greenfield sites in the middle of the city.

"We recognise that there may be good reasons for building on some greenfield sites, but this certainly doesn't apply to many of the proposals which come before the council," said Coun Harris.

Coun Harris said there were many areas across Leeds blighted by the demolition of housing and old industrial buildings.

He said: "In many cases they provide nothing more for the local community than another eyesore.

"If we are to tackle the problems of the inner city they are one of the problems we must address, if we can do so, while at the same time reducing pressure on greenfield sites through the metropolitan area then surely we must grasp this option with both hands."

Greenfield sites are likely to come under increasing pressure as the country is likely to need more than four million new homes in the near future.

l Do you think the solution to inner city problems is

developing green field sites, or do they deserve more council protection? Write with your views to Wharfedale Newspapers, Otley, LS21 3NX.

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