New Cockburn Secondary School sports facilities in doubt amid opposition to South Leeds Golf Course redevelopment

A new 3G pitch and tennis courts have been proposed for a plot of land on the old South Leeds Golf Course in Beeston, which is now owned by Leeds City Council after the club previously based there folded in 2019.

Under the plans, the neighbouring Cockburn Secondary School would use the facilities.

Although more than 100 new ones would be planted nearby to compensate, 38 mature trees would have to be axed to make way for the development.

A letter of objection from the Friends of Middleton Park group was read aloud by one its members at a council planning meeting this week.

It claimed the plans “represent a poor return for both the community and the park”, which was effectively gifted the land when the golf club closed.

The letter added that the site “may only represent a small percentage of the overall acreage of the park, but it’s an important area of greenbelt meadow land with some significant trees adjacent to an existing local nature reserve and area of ancient woodland.

“We don’t want to see this historically and ecologically significant area of land lost to a development we think is neither necessary or wanted by the local community.”

In theory, the facilities would be available for community use outside of school hours. However, as floodlights have not been included in the current plans, the pitches would be effectively out of action during winter evenings.

The applicants’ representative, Maria Dychala, said that the scheme was being driven by a huge increase in pupils at Cockburn, which has been taken on at the council’s request.

As a result, the school has a “deficit” of outdoor sporting facilities, she said.

The current sports pitches at the school are also prone to flooding in the winter, the meeting was told.

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Although a number of councillors on the plans panel raised concerns, including the impact of a 3G pitch on wildlife, Labour councillor Neil Walshaw offered his support.

“I fervently believe in the importance of sport in building confidence, building character and building teamwork,” he said.

“Sport in school has been under pressure during austerity, but this is a school wanting to expand its sporting facilities.

“This used to be a golf course. Golf courses are ecological deserts, but this will result in a biodiversity net gain.”

But Liberal Democrat councillor Colin Campbell said: “This is a really significant piece of green belt. OK, it may have been a golf course but if you go there now you’d never know that.

“It’s a really importance piece of habitat. If you’re going to take that away from the community you have you have to say what the benefit is.

“The community doesn’t get any benefit out of this at all.”

The current plans could now be amended and will be put forward again at a later date, or the applicants may be forced to seek an alternative site.