Welcome

Our Association has been formed by the people of Holmewood,Tong, Fulneck as well as people from the cities of Leeds and Bradford who all want to work together to protect the greenbelt of the Tong Fulneck Valley from further development.

Holmewood currently has some 3500 homes, Bradford city council is considering at least a further 2000 homes to be built. This would double or even triple the size of the Holmewood estate. We are convinced that any larger scale housing development in the Tong Valley could lead to serious social damage with far reaching consequences.

Today in Bradford there are at least 8,000 abandoned homes, as well as acres of commercial property standing empty. It would make more sense for these properties to be reclaimed and abandoned commercial property demolished and re-developed before resorting to developing on greenbelt land.

The transport infrastructure is currently unable to sustain existing traffic levels. The A650 access into Bradford is a daily nightmare for those who have to use it, the traffic levels in Tong Village are unacceptable. It would be unwise to plan for housing expansion in an area that is already so congested.

Tong Valley is a haven between the two cities, a green lung of countryside between Leeds and Bradford that would have long since disappeared had it not been protected by generations in the 18th and 19th century. The Lords of the Manor of Tong, along with the communities that lived here, ensured that no industrial encroachment took place on this land. It continues to be the view of Leeds Council that this protection should be maintained for future generations to enjoy.

People in our local communities have declared themselves to be strongly opposed these plans. Over the past months we have been grateful for the energetic way in which our Neighbourhood Forums and Planning Officers have sought the views of local people. Despite all attempts to attract people to accept such developments there has been overwhelming opposition to any large scale development.

There is very considerable untapped recreational potential for this land. This potential was recognised in the late 1970's when this Council joined up with Leeds and the Countryside Commission in a common commitment to establish the Tong Cockersdale Countryside Management Project. Sadly funding issues in the 1990's led to the collapse of this project, but many of us believe that it contained an embryonic vision that can now be resurrected and enlarged.