Plea to Archbishop over development

THE ARCHBISHOP of Canterbury is being urged to intervene to stop the sale of four Yorkshire sites, including ancient woodland, to developers.

Justin Welby has been invited to see for himself green belt land at Chidswell, Dewsbury, which could be bulldozed under a largescale proposed housing plan.

The four sites are owned by the Church of England’s Church Commissioners. The land has been included as a strategic site in Kirklees Council’s draft Local Plan, allocating more than 1,500 houses and 86 acres of employment land for development.

The letter to Lambeth Palace was sent by Mark Eastwood, chairman of Chidswell Action Group, who was recently selected as the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Dewsbury.

He said the latest threat to Chidswell’s Green Belt follows another campaign from the beginning of the millennium, which residents won.

In 2000 the area had been put forward by the council for open cast mining, a plan which in the end did not go ahead.

Mr Eastwood, 47, said: “In light of Justin Welby’s recent comments about a so-called ‘crisis of capitalism’ I have written to him on behalf of the local community.

“I am calling on the Church of England to practice what it preaches and for him to personally intervene in helping us preserve the unspoilt countryside and Green Belt located at Chidswell for future generations to enjoy.”

Lambeth Palace was approached for comment.