Council drops controversial school plan in east Leeds after outcry

Campaigners are celebrating the news that council bosses have dropped controversial plans to build a new school on protected green space in east Leeds.
PLANS: Gipton Juniors training at Fearnville Leisure Centre where the new school was proposed to be built.PLANS: Gipton Juniors training at Fearnville Leisure Centre where the new school was proposed to be built.
PLANS: Gipton Juniors training at Fearnville Leisure Centre where the new school was proposed to be built.

As previously reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds City Council has been considering proposals for the construction of the 1,200-place free school on a section of the King George V playing fields in Gipton, known as Fearnville Fields.

But in the face of mounting opposition from local residents, councillors and Richard Burgon MP, Council Lisa Mulherin, executive member for children and families has now announced she will “not be recommending that the proposals for Fearnville fields proceed” and will instead assess a number of alternative sites.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a statement she said: “As a council we take public consultation seriously and we listen carefully to views expressed by local residents and their elected representatives.

“Councillors Hyde, Selby, Arif, Maqsood and Hussain have all put forward alternative sites to be considered for the new secondary school that will be needed in this area in 2020 given the growth in pupil numbers at primary school that will be moving through to secondary school age and those sites are being thoroughly assessed to see if they can meet the need.

“As a result of the concerns of local residents, led by local councillors and Richard Burgon MP, I can confirm that I will be recommending that we do not progress the proposals consulted on recently to develop a school on Fearnville fields.”

Leeds East Labour MP Richard Burgon said the result is “great news” for local community.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Big congratulations to local residents. It’s been a pleasure to work with them on this campaign.

“This is a field that people have enjoyed for generations and we need to ensure that it’s enjoyed for generations to come. Of course additional school places are needed but not at the expense of something like Fearnville Fields. It’s really important to protect these green spaces. It’s a really important part of our quality of life here,” he said.

Iain Dalton, chairman of the Save Fearnville Fields campaign, said: "The retreat from these deeply unpopular proposals is to be welcomed, but we will be keeping a watching brief until these proposals are buried for good, hopefully at February’s executive board meeting.

“This has only come about due to the huge community opposition and all those who have been involved in the campaign which has collected over 2,000 signatures opposing these plans and delivered 4,000 leaflets over the last fortnight to make local residents aware of what was happening.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This shows the when ordinary people organise together, we can defeat ill-thought out proposals such as these. We call on the council to now work with the community to make sure Fearnville Playing Fields are used for the sports, leisure and recreation that the land was dedicated for in the 1930s.”

But Coun Catherine Dobson (Ind, Killingbeck and Seacroft) questioned what the suggested "new" alternative sites for the school were.

She said: "We were both pleased and surprised by the 11th hour statement from the Executive Board Member.

"However we are perplexed that new sites for consideration have apparently been suggested by the local Labour councillors - if this is indeed the case where are these sites? Why weren't they suggested earlier? And why were LCC officers adamant that Fearnville is the preferred location? We were under the impression that all available sites had already been considered and all others rejected.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The campaign group have been fantastic and I'm proud to have supported them from the beginning. We hope that this climbdown by the council is sincere and that they won't come back - after the May elections - saying that they are sorry but they can't find another site after all. We are prepared to carry on the fight if that happens. I have asked for a clear assurance that the Fearnville site is permanently off the table and I'm awaiting a response."

The Leeds City Council statement said data shows two new secondary schools will be needed in the wider East Leeds area by 2022, with an additional 307 Year 7 places needed for 2020 and 435 Year 7 places required for 2021 which is significantly more than current capacity in existing schools.

New housing in the East Leeds Extension – for around 5,000 new homes – will generate further demand for school places.

The statement added: “A further update on future proposals for the new school will be announced in the coming months.”