The 'road' from Adel Willows

Railways, trams, buses, etc.
Jogon
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Joined: Wed 21 Dec, 2011 1:28 pm

Post by Jogon »

At risk of asking a daft question - how was the Parkway Fields farmer (Mr John Walton) allowed to offload so much land to anyone who'd pay?Is this just progress, is there no restriction on farmers selling all to anyone who'll pay them?

Cardiarms
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Joined: Tue 21 Oct, 2008 8:30 am

Post by Cardiarms »

I'm guessing that there's nothing to stop you selling to whoever you like if the price is right.

Wool
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Joined: Wed 23 Jun, 2010 10:09 am

Post by Wool »

I think the land belonged to the Eddison family trust, not the Parkway Fields farmer. I did a land registry search when the Centurion Fields development was being proposed which showed that land north of Holt Avenue was in that ownership. David Wilson Homes had an option to purchase it. The search did not include a map, so I don't know how far north the ownership extended, but by the time the Centurion Fields development started, David Wilson had built a compound on the field north of Centurion Fields and told a public meeting at Adel Stables that they owned 12 acres of land north of the current development.But I am pretty sure it is the Parkway Fields farmer who is trying to block the old lane. I think he owns the land to the west of the lane ( and possibly previously owned the small scrubby field to the north of Adel Willows but sold it to the builders). He also has a field to the east of the lane and to the west of Adel dam just South of the Parkway. It is where the lane reaches that point that he has closed a gate across the lane with barbed wire.

Jogon
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Joined: Wed 21 Dec, 2011 1:28 pm

Post by Jogon »

Does one need a license to bury / burn trade waste on farmland? Just asking..

Wool
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Joined: Wed 23 Jun, 2010 10:09 am

Re: The 'road' from Adel Willows

Post by Wool »

I believe this track is currently subject to an investigation by Leeds city Council's footpaths people as to whether indeed it is a public right of way. This was prompted by a proposal ( happily rejected) to build new housing where this track meets Adel Willows.

I walked the path with a friend last week and it was quite overgrown. Someone (? Parkway Fields farmer?) had closed the gate at Adel Dam end with barbed wire wrapped round the gate and post, so we had to climb over. I hope that someone will have obliged with wire cutters before I next walk this route.

Wool

barrytheeskimo
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Joined: Thu 15 Oct, 2015 1:17 pm

Re: The 'road' from Adel Willows to GAP

Post by barrytheeskimo »

The track from Adel Willows to Golden Acre park. Many have questioned if this is a public right of way and who owns it. The track is well constructed as many observe and was the public way from Adel (down what is now Adel Willows drive), with adjacent stream to carry surface water to Poole/Bramhope/Harwood prior to the construction of the A660 Turnpike in 1840/50s. Adel Willows had been a farm. Parts are exceptionally old. The house now visibly is constructed in three vertical units or extensions to the original small farm which faces south and remains today as a single unit with additions to each side. There is another end unit which was a studio. The cottage which can be seen from across the fields was the coach house to the main house as inspection shows. The track was regularly used by the public in 1960s and 70s until Adel Willows was sold in 1970s and divided into 4 separate houses. You can stil see arrows on some trees showing directions for sunday runners. The access to the pathway was diverted across the field to the north, by the bus stop. People could then walk down the track to Golden Acre. Then the Eddison trustees, wanting to wind up as much as they could, purportedly circa 1980s 'sold' the public road (damstone way) to a third party, who later sold it to one of the owners at Adel Mill farm, who has tried to block anyone 'tresspassing' on his land - which may never have been owned by Eddisons anyway, as it adjoined their land and was always a public right of way. The maps are not clear at all. Farmer Walton has used the track all his life for access between his fields and still does but he is not the one trying to block people. If the new owners and builders to the south do construct property there, then the owners would want to use the walkway, which the new 'owner of the public track' appears determined they shall not do. Just why I know not. Its a nice walk down between established beech tress which I have used often - but as you say, someone is trying to block its use by the public. The stream from Adel Willows adjacent to the track to Adel Dam does not carry much water, as used to carry that from otley Road before surface water changes in 1960s. Hope this assists

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sparky415
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Re: The 'road' from Adel Willows

Post by sparky415 »

I thought that the track was of Roman origin?? I used to walk that track as a lad some 25 years ago. last time I was there it was overgrown and I got the impression that people were being disuaded from walking it.
Come on Leeds United!

barrytheeskimo
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Joined: Thu 15 Oct, 2015 1:17 pm

Re: The 'road' from Adel Willows

Post by barrytheeskimo »

Yes Sparky. I remember in about 1990-2 a young girl on a horse in an adjacent field came over (as I walked the path to GAP) and told me I was 'trespassing' on private land, which is a ancient right of way. I told her to buzz off on her horse. But since then the person who tries to 'dissuade' the public from exercising their rights has put up wire and tried to block the way. Just why is baffling - its only a road to a park! Best is for people to take the barriers down, or he will try to say no one ever walked it

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