Leeds City Council have launched a consultation over plans to build new council housing on the site of a Wortley sports pitch.
Planners are writing to 200 householders living near the TV Harrison Sports Ground, off Oldfield Lane, to gather people’s comments over proposals which could see 50 council houses built on the ground.
The authority is aiming to submit an outline planning permission to establish the principle of a residential development on the site, known locally as ‘Wortley’s Wembley’, and the location of proposed access to the housing development.
In a letter to residents, the council say:
“Pressure on existing council housing in Leeds is increasing, with an average of 170 people bidding for each home advertised. To meet increasing demand in the city and to deliver on our aim to be best city to live, Leeds City Council is working to deliver 1,500 high-quality homes over the next five years.
“There is a shiortage of affordable housing in West Leeds and over 100 households with an unmet housing need in this ward.”
The proposal is currently at pre-planning phase and the council is set to submit an outline application, possibly before the end of the yea. If outline permission is granted, the council will return with a detailed proposal including exact number and design of the council housing.
Comments can be e-mailed to councilhousenewbuild@leeds.gov.uk.
Opposition to housing
The ground has officially been closed since 2004 and last year was included in Leeds City Council’s Site Allocations Plan (SAP) – which suggested 50 houses could be built on the site.
The majority of the site is held in trust by the Leeds Schools Sports Association (LSSA). The organisation claims that should a planned sale of the site go through, they would be able to reinvest the money in sporting facilities for schoolchildren in Leeds.
But campaigners, who want to bring the site back into use, say the fight is not over, and added that the field – which had been disused for many years – is a sports facility gifted to Leeds children.
The group has raised funds to buy heavy duty gardening equipment to make the site playable themselves.
Keep up the the fight to save this ground.
The Archie Gordon Ground,which was opposite the Bridge pub Kirkstall, was sold and lost when money overides the need for local free sports areas for schools.