Overgrown land that was previously an allotment.
By Joshua Atherton
PLANS FOR a housing development on greenbelt land were met with opposition from a parish council in West Yorkshire.
Ryhill Parish Council are challenging the proposed development of residential buildings just off Mill Lane in the village near Wakefield.
The land was bought in 2010 after the Ryhill Liberal Club committee agreed to sell it along with planning permission but Ryhill Parish Council objected, stopping the developers.
Cheryle Bashforth, chair of the Ryhill Parish Council said: “Our houses would seriously devalue as we have a great view of Barnsley from here that stretches to the tops and I love waking up to that view.
“I would hate it if I was waking up now and looking into the back of a modern built house.
“Residents who live on Mill Lane need to be able to have access to the back of their homes and with the building of these houses they may lose such an amenity.”
The previous planning application was rejected in November 2000 after the parish council successfully objected to similar proposals.
The developers plan on building 12 houses on the former allotment site.
Residents of Mill Lane have already lost their allotments due to the sale of the land.
Trevor Sale, who had an allotment that backed onto his garden, said: “It used to be lovely and convenient but some people weren’t able to make the move to the other area that was allocated.
“Thankfully I was able to but I know most people did not want to make the move to the new area which has impacted on the togetherness of the street now.”
Gladys Brent, allotment manager, said: “Since the allotments off Mill Lane shut we have had to get more space for the number of residents who have had to move to our Sunny Bank site or to our Cemetery Road site.”
The allotments have now moved to a nearby park and some of the gardeners who had an allotment plot there could not make the move due to their age and the fact they no longer backed onto their homes.
A date has not been set for the ruling on the matter but parish councillors say they are optimistic that they will win and they intend to discuss an idea to buy the land back with financial help from residents.
The developers were contacted but declined to comment on the situation.