West Ardsley now has its very own hotline to Father Christmas in the North Pole!

Your little ones can post their Christmas list letters free of charge at the little library on Haighmoor Road

If you include your address Father Christmas (who wont use your details for anything else and he is police checked!) might write back to your Children, adding to the magic of Christmas.

While you post your letters please do have a look at the lovely books in the little library – Leave a book – Take a book

F.O.A. David Feeney | Chief Planning Officer

Planning & Sustainable Development

City Development

Dear Mr Feeney,

We’re obviously aware that the Minister of Housing and Local Government has decided not to call in your clients planning application, and that the planning permission has now itself been issued.

This decision has led to a feeling of massive disappointment and much angst is being expressed by the residents of West Ardsley and Tingley toward LCC and their Planning Department.  Notwithstanding this, the Secretary of States letter, whilst refusing the call-in, alluded to councils and COMMUNITIES making local planning decisions. We believe it is to the benefit of all parties, that the local community have some input into the planning process going forward and, it is within your remit to facilitate this.

You will recall that at City Plans Panel, a number of members had expressed concern at the applicant’s failure to involve the local community in any way during the preparation and consideration of the outline application.  They felt that if there had been such involvement, there might in consequence have been less local opposition.  They asked that it be a requirement that the developers should undertake local consultations as part of the detailed application process.  We are, of course, aware that your officer chose to answer this concern at the time by addressing a completely different issue altogether  –  namely liaison during the

construction process itself.  This avoiding of the issue does not, of course, make the original concern go away.

WAAG therefore would also ask, in a spirit of co-operation, that you should recommend applicants for detailed approvals to undertake active consultation with WAAG, preferably in advance of formal applications being made;  and that you should yourself advise WAAG of, and copy to us, any proposals submitted to the Council for pre-application discussions, with a view to our having an input into that process.  This is, of course, over and above the formal Council notification of every such application to all previous objectors, which we imagine will occur in any event.

Again, we would appreciate your formal confirmation that you will do this.

Thanking you in advance, for and behalf of the local community.

Yours Sincerely

Peter Cowling

Chair , West Ardsley Action Group