More than 100 people crammed into the cricket pavilion on Woodhall Lane for a public meeting to express their worries about problems throughout the estates, includingrat running, social problems and new developments.

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They are now forming a residents' group so that they can tackle these problems and keep neighbours informed of what is happening.

Kerry Stewart, who helped organise the meeting, said: "One of the main aims of the meeting was to make sure everyone is aware of everything that's happening.

"It seems in some instances that planning is being approved because nobody objects, but nobody is objecting because nobody knows about it.

"We need to unite to get our voices heard because at the moment it seems like we have no say about what is happening.

"We are not against normal developments to reasonably extend the family home.

"But at the moment we are having problems with car parking along the Rockwood and Woodhall Park estates and they are being used as a
rat run for people who want to skip the main busy roads.

"Leeds City Council's highways department have agreed to the posting of some type of restricted access signs, but these will take months to put up.

"We just want to make sure that our voices are heard and they will be much louder in a group and hopefully planners will take more notice of a larger group."

Councillor Andrew Carter (Cons, Calverley and Farsley) welcomed the news that a residents' association has been formed.

He said: "They are certainly doing the right thing as we have had some real issues these past few years with some particularly major planning
issues on which we have been supporting the residents.

"It will make it easier for the local councillors to discuss issues with them and pass the messages on.

A council spokesman said: "There is often a lot of public interest in the planning process which is why we have developed a range of ways for people to find out about the applications we receive.

"When a general household application is submitted to the council, we notify adjoining neighbours of the application and provide them with information about where they can view it and how they can comment or object.

"Where major applications are submitted, we advertise the application in the media and put up site notices outlining the application with details where they can view it and how they can comment or object.

"Planning application information is available on our website - www.leeds.gov.uk/planning - or by calling our planning hotline on (0113) 2478000."