Former sports pitches in Wortley are set to become the site of 50 new local authority houses.
The area, off Oldfield Lane and Oldfield Avenue, has been earmarked for the new properties, which are part of a £50 million scheme to build more than 350 new council homes across the city.
The Dispatch reported last month that the new homes could be finished by 2021 – but today’s council report was the first confirmation of exactly where on Oldfield Lane the houses would be built.
The council report says most of the site is owned by the Leeds Schools Sports Association (LSSA), which supports sporting activities throughout Leeds at both school and representative level.
The report, which authorises the council’s director of city development Martin Farrington to buy the land for an undisclosed sum, adds the site has been empty for at least 13 years.
It says the LSSA intend to sell the land to raise funds. It also says the land is allocated for housing in the council’s site allocation plan, which earmarks which plots of land can be built on.
Councillors David and Ann Blackburn (Green, Farnley and Wortley) have objected to both the site allocation plan for housing and the principle of development on the site.
Councillor Matt Gibson (Lab, Farnley and Wortley) is aware of the need for housing and the regeneration of the site. He is supportive of the proposal outlined by the council.
A full planning application will be submitted in due course.
A further 13 council houses are also due to be built in Heights Lane, Armley.