How plans for a Leeds science park became a road to nowhere

Leeds City Council announced plans for a science park at Killingbeck in 1981 and spent £1 million buying land from Leeds Area Health Authority.

It was forecast the park would attract high technology firms to the city and create more than 700 jobs by 1983.

But the idea hit a snag - companies didn't want to go there.

Four years on the costly piece of land, next to Killingbeck Hospital on York Road, was used only by children as a play area.

A barrier was put up across the £124,000 access road built in 1982.

But as this photo from June 1985 reveals no-one would want to drive down it anyway. It led to nowhere, ending in the middle of a field.

Residents campaigned strongly against the park at the time. They predicted it would be a 'white elephant'.

Leader of Leeds City Council, Coun George Mudie, said: "It is very sad. I think the recession has a lot to do with it. The plan was a good one and I'm sure it will come off in the end.

"If our nerve broke we could allow the land to be used for warehouses and other things but it wasn't meant for that.

"We want a high-technology science park for computer firms and the like and that is what we will continue to aim for."

Coun Mudie added: "There will come a time when the economy picks up and these companies begin to expand. When they do that we will have all the facilities for them and that's why we are sticking to our guns.

"You never know, someone could pick up the telephone tomorrow and say they want to move onto the site."

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Laura Collins