Kings Meadow View  (Pre-Planning Application).

Many of our supporters will recall that their introduction to BW was through Wetherby & Kirk Deighton Countryside Partnership (WKDCP) – a partner and founding organisation of the BWP.   WKDCP itself was formed to support concerned local residents in the Kings Meadow View area of Wetherby, including Kirk Deighton, to respond to a pre-planning application consultation for 120 houses - some three and a half years ago from Persimmon Homes.
The public consultation, conducted without any prior notice from Persimmon, ran between the 9th and 31st August 2017 (only three weeks) during a peak holiday season including a Bank Holiday. Nonetheless, the consultation attracted more than 200 objections and a Public Meeting took place with over 100 residents in attendance.

Unfortunately, whilst residents engaged in good faith with the pre-planning consultation, Persimmon have never provided any outcomes or updates from this process. As a consequence, WKDCP wrote to Persimmon in early February 2021 requesting an update regarding intentions for this site. Alas, no response has been received despite a follow-up. WKDCP and BW believe it quite reasonable for clarification regarding Kings Meadow View to be forthcoming, and we will continue to progress accordingly. LCC’s Chief Planning Officer has already been contacted regarding this matter too.

Yellowhammer on hedgerow adjoining proposed site off Kings Meadow View

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It is important to be aware that Stockeld Estates, via Persimmon, have not withdrawn their preplanning proposal to build 100 plus houses off Kings Meadow View in Wetherby. This site reaches up to the boundary of Harland Way, threatens the protected site for Great Crested Newts at Kirk Deighton and endangers Yellowhammers and other wildlife who have a healthy presence in the hedgerows defining this site.
Whilst informal discussion with Leeds Planners indicates that they will recommend refusal should the scheme transfer to being a full planning application, BW will be maintaining a close focus on this issue.
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At the Stockeld Park/Hallam Public Inquiry, BW made a robust submission exploring the impact of urban development in this area on the natural drainage through the limestone bedrock. This indicated that the geology of this area leads to a high risk that that any new housing development will impact on the Kirk Deighton Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), causing potential desiccation of the habitat of the protected Great Crested Newt. 

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