IN the 1970s in light of plans for an industrial estate and housing to be built on the green belt land to the east of Otley, a campaign was mounted with the call: 'Save Rural Otley'. The people of Otley submitted a petition of over 10,000 signatures and 676 letters of objection.
The campaign was successful.
When I asked the Head of Planning why the plans had not been approved, he replied: 'The letters. We could not proceed in the face of the strength of the community's opposition.'
The people of Otley were given assurances that an officially recognised green belt would be drawn tightly round the town boundary. Empty promises.
The current planning application is massively destructive of Otley's rural environment. It is not enough to tinker with these plans, the whole application should be thrown out.
Anne Lee
East Busk Lane,
Otley
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