By Jill Stocks
Horsforth residents are invited to have their say on the future of one of the town’s most historic buildings in the Hall Park Stables consultation.
Locals were invited to view an exhibition and comment with their ideas and suggestions for the buildings at the recent Walk of Art weekend and a launch booklet was published in the week prior, detailing the background to the project, the vision for the future and how people can get involved.
The consultation provides an opportunity for the community to be actively involved in what happens to the stables, which are the last remaining buildings of the park and estate which were gifted to the people of Horsforth in 1932 by William Mathieson.
Mathieson wished that the gift “would be a blessing to every individual resident of Horsforth; a place of refuge, of ease and comfort, to the present generation and those yet to be.”
The Hall and farm which were also part of the estate were demolished in 1952 after falling into disrepair and those involved in the consultation are keen to see that this does not happen to the stable buildings.
The Mathieson Group was formed as a subgroup of the Friends of Horsforth Hall Park through concerns over the long term future of the buildings, which are grade two listed, and a desire for improved community facilities in the park.
The group then approached Leeds Beckett University with a view to students using it as a project as part of their degrees as Thalia Borlant, one of the students at Leeds Beckett University who is also part of the Mathieson Group, told us: “The consultation is about understanding what local people would like the building to become, while respecting its heritage and ensuring it has a sustainable future.
“Recognising the potential of the project, the Mathieson Group approached Leeds Beckett University to explore how students could contribute ideas for the future of the stables, which they incorporated into its interior Architecture programme.
“Students developed innovative design proposals that formed part of the launch exhibition, with two of the projects subsequently being shortlisted for the Interior Educators Awards. Alongside designs a 1:20 scale model of the existing building (was on display).
“The model allowed visitors to look inside a building that has remained closed to the public for many years, prompting conversations about its history and future potential. Younger visitors were encouraged to engage through a ‘Can you find?’ activity, which sparked some fantastic ideas about how the building could be used.”
“This exhibition marks the beginning of a much wider programme of community engagement. Over the coming months we hope to gather ideas, stories, memories and aspirations from as many people as possible.
“We particularly want to hear from children and young people, families, older residents, schools, community groups, park users and local organisations. Our aim is to ensure that any future proposals are genuinely community-led and reflect the needs of Horsforth.”
The stables buildings are currently used by Leeds Parks Departments for storage for heavy machinery, chemicals and staff areas, leading to a number of concerns regarding the storage of hazardous materials, and shared access between vehicles and heavy equipment and members of the public.
Other concerns about its current usage include the inefficient use of public funds for energy in an inefficient space, concerns about the integrity of the building and unsafe structural condition, and a risk to heritage.
The vision for the buildings, taking inspiration from other local community facilities such as the HEART centre in Headingley and Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley, is “to provide Horsforth with an accessible arts, enterprise and community space, complete with amenities that support creativity, learning, wellbeing and social connection.”
Alongside this it is hoped that the building will also have a cafe and toilets, something which users of Hall Park have been wishing for for some years now, akin to a lot of other parks in Leeds.
The Friends of Horsforth Hall Park Mathiesons Group hope to achieve this vision through engaging with the community and building partnerships with other local groups, exploring a number of funding streams and ensuring an environmentally and financially sustainable building which promotes wellbeing and health for the long term.
A grant from the Heritage Fund has been awarded to cover a £10,000 feasibility study and talks took place with building consultants last week, but much relies on the building being transferred to the community from Leeds City Council as part of a community assets transfer.
The public can get involved in a number of ways, including by becoming a member of Friends of Horsforth Hall Park or donating. You can contact Tahlia directly by email at T.Borlant2874@student.leedsbeckett.ac.uk, taking part in future engagement events as they are announced and by completing the online survey.
Tahlia added: “Every voice matters. Whether someone has memories of the stables, ideas for its future or simply values the park, we’d encourage them to take part and help shape the next chapter of this important building.”
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