Work to partially infill part of a historic railway tunnel in Pudsey could start as early as MONDAY.
Developer EP Homes last month received planning permission to partially fill the Greenside Tunnel cutting using existing construction, demolition and excavation materials temporarily stockpiled next to the cutting.
There had been considerable local opposition to the plans.
Now documents, lodged with Leeds City Council on August 8, have been filed by planning agent Clive Saul of WYG which seek to discharge some of the planning conditions attached to the proposals, and have lodged a management plan for bats on the site during construction.
The plan, which has been approved by council nature officers, aims to ensure the protection of bats, existing bat roosts and roosting features in accordance with current legislation.
In his letter to planners, Mr Saul said:
“The applicants, EP Homes, have scheduled a contractor to undertake the works commencing on 21 August 2017 so that the works could be completed before the school term commences. Please accept this as prior notification of the commencement as required by condition number 3 of the planning permission.”
The documents can be read in full here.
More than 50 local objections had been lodged against the partial infilling of the cutting, along with representations from Pudsey Labour Party and Stuart Andrew MP. Concerns includes the loss of local history and the impact on bats in the tunnel and local wildlife.
There is no detail on line of how condition number 5 is to be met, only the approval by the council. We need to see what the new bat mitigation plan says. What are they afraid of?