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In May this year (2000), the Banks Group, Opencast Mining in cooperation with Methley Estates and Leeds City Council opened a new footpath which included direction signs and stile/gates. The path links Methley Lane (Oulton Lane to most of us) with Hungate Lane and utilises existing tracks and paths through the delightful Methley  Woods.
The official launch was attended by more than 60 ramblers who celebrated the opening with a buffet at Methley Cricket Club.
A public relations coup by the company who have also applied to Leeds City Council Planning Dept. for permission to extract coal from a new site at Moss Carr. Works on this site would surely close the ancient ‘parting of the manor’ walk.
If permission is approved, I’m sure we would all like to be assured that if, the ancient path and associated hedgerows are affected, that they would be suitably restored on completion. Would it also be possible I wonder to improve the accessibility of the old walk and still retain the new walk.
Restoration operations are well advanced (May 2005) and it is clearly evident that the works have not affected the farm, hedgerows and probably the walk.
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