THERE are fears wildlife and animals at a beloved nature reserve will be disrupted if plans to build new homes are approved this week.

Developers want to put up 67 houses on land once occupied by the old Airedale Mills industrial site in west Leeds.

The idea was given planning permission in principle in 2019, with the brownfield site having been empty since the 1970s and the old Victorian textile mill building having been demolished.

But volunteers who run the neighbouring Rodley Nature Reserve say they’re concerned about the impact on species from being so close to a building site.

Trustee Jerry Knapp said those associated with the popular reserve had submitted around 10 separate objections linked to the development.

A planning meeting today, Thursday, will decide if the development can go ahead in its current proposed form, now that the finer details of the scheme have been put forward.

Mr Knapp said: “There’s no doubt note has been taken of quite a lot of our comments, but there are still issues that we’re concerned about.

“We’d prefer not to have a building site there, but if we do have to have one we need to ensure it doesn’t damage the wildlife corridor that goes up the river.

“There’s still issues associated with the ecological buffer (between the site and the nature reserve), particularly to ensure the reserve is kept free from disturbance linked to the development.”

The reserve had previously expressed concerns about a canopy of trees around the site being axed to make way for the development.

While Mr Knapp said concessions had been made by developers and those trees spared, other concerns remain.

One bone of contention in particular is the prospect of a drainage pipe being placed along the “ecological buffer”, which is designed to protect the nature reserve from building works.

Mr Knapp said the pipe offered “potential for damaging and potentially polluting water going into our water supply,” and thus harming water-based animals.

He added: “The nature reserve is 70 acres and run solely by volunteers. It’s achieved a level of national recognition in various ways, as well as local recognition. It’s something worth fighting for.”

 Planning officers have recommended the application be approved by councillors, however.

The planning report reads: “The site previously comprised substantial mill buildings, therefore the proposed development represents an appropriate form of development for this site.”