A cash injection of almost £400,000 will rejuvenate several parks in Leeds and send visitor numbers soaring, it is hoped.
Almost £290,000 is to be pumped into improvements at Queen’s Park, Pudsey.
A further £100,000 of funding has been granted for parks across Bramley and Stanningley.
Locals in both areas have lobbied hard for the money, with councillors spearheading each individual campaign.
The cash comes from a pot of developer contributions to the communities they are building in.
Work in Pudsey will include a full refurbishment of the playground, with a new multi-use games area, and path improvements.
More trees will be planted and new park furniture will also be provided.
Future work at Queen’s Park will include a better sports pitch and new-look changing facilities.
In Bramley, more than £77,000 will be spent in Rodley Park, where new pathways will lead to new benches, picnic tables and bins. The entrance gates to the park will also be replaced.
In Stanningley Park, meanwhile, new multi-play equipment will be installed. Bramley Falls Park will get a Bermuda Triangle climbing unit.
Coun Mick Coulson (Labour, Pudsey) said: “This is great news for Queen’s Park and for Pudsey as a whole.
“This is the culmination of five years hard work including engaging in detailed consultation with residents.
“This investment will allow for active play and use of the park by all local citizens.
“It is essential for developers to make a contribution to help people keep healthy and have excellent open spaces. By using this money we are able to improve spaces for the people of Pudsey.”
Coun Caroline Gruen (Labour, Bramley and Stanningley) said: “Our open spaces are fundamental to residents having active lives.
“It is paramount that children and families have excellent facilities to enjoy themselves and keep healthy.
“Having helped organise and publicise consultations, I have been able to talk to people and hear what kind of investment they want to see.
“I am pleased that this is now coming to fruition.
“This demonstrates what a difference funding like this can make to local communities. This shows why it is so important we continue to secure money from developers.”
Her colleague coun Ted Hanley added: “This marks the next step in our plans to provide excellent open spaces across the ward.”
Under planning laws, councils can enter into Section 106 agreements, otherwise known as a ‘planning obligation’, which will provide cash to communities to offset any negative impacts caused by construction and development.
Contributions can range in size and type, from paying for public open spaces to building a new primary school, but must be relevant to the community being built in.
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