GREENBELT protestors will take to the streets on Sunday to defend the natural boundaries of their communities.

Events are being planned in Rawdon and Menston as part of the CoVoP (Community Voice on Planning) day of action – and a 92-year-old woman is one of those taking part in the campaign.

Alma Kirkpatrick has been helping with the delivery of flyers to publicise the Menston and Guiseley Greenbelt Protection Group rally to save Ings Fields from developers. The event, which is being organised in conjunction with members of WARD (Wharfedale and Airedale Review Development) will start at 12.30pm on April 12.

Alma’s daughter-in-law Liz Kirkpatrick, who is a spokesperson for the greenbelt protection group, said: “The fields are in a greenbelt and form a buffer between Guiseley and Menston, the kind of buffer the government advocated greenbelt should provide keeping named settlements distinctive and not joining in an urban sprawl.”

She said Alma, who moved to Menston eight years ago, had noticed a big change in the area, including the fact that it now took twice as long to get into Guiseley by car.

Liz added: “There have been so many houses built here that Guiseley’s facilities are overloaded. She is concerned for the generations to come, because when the greenbelt has gone you can’t get it back.”

Anyone who wants to take part in the rally is asked to meet on the A65, opposite the BP station, where Mire Beck crosses the road.

Meanwhile residents from Rawdon and Horsforth are planning a three mile Greenbelt March on the same day to promote awareness of the amount of land they say will be lost in the area if Leeds City Council’s latest housing proposals go ahead.

Organisers say the sites can hold more than 1,600 houses, two thirds of which will be on greenbelt land.

Briony Sloan, co-founder of Rawdon Greenbelt Action Group said: “Many people in this part of Rawdon and Horsforth don’t seem to know how much greenbelt we stand to lose. One of the prime reasons for having a greenbelt is to stop neighbouring communities from merging, yet Leeds City Council seem determined to allow all this building on the Rawdon-Horsforth border.

“Apart from taking in the threatened sites, I hope the march route will show everyone why this area is so special to us. Anyone is welcome to join us on the day and preferably wear something red or orange.”

The march will start at Jubilee Hall, Rawdon at 1pm.