New school sports facilities on former Leeds golf site approved

A 3G pitch and tennis courts are to be laid opposite Cockburn High School in Beeston, on a portion of land which was once part of South Leeds Golf Course.

More than 50 local people had objected to the scheme, predominantly on environmental grounds and fears over the loss of wildlife.

The site itself became part of the greenbelt Middleton Park estate in 2019 when the golf club running the site was shut down.

But councillors then voted in favour of development at a meeting on Thursday, by a majority verdict, having twice delayed making a final decision on the plans this summer.

Cockburn, which is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, argued that the pitches were needed to help them cope with a sharp rise in the number of pupils.

Speaking afterwards, the school’s executive head teacher David Gurney said: “I’m really pleased that this has been passed by the plans panel and it will allow us now to deliver the sporting facilities at Cockburn that we so desperately need.

“We believe sports is really beneficial for young people. It helps their mental health, their fitness and it tackles obesity. It’s really important.

“Because of the delay (in reaching a final decision), the building won’t be able to start until next year as we’re heading into the winter months. But it will hopefully be ready for September 2023, and will be in time for the new intake of Year 7s.”

Community teams and players will also be able to use the pitches, though only during daylight hours as no floodlights will accompany the development.

The plans did not pass without further controversy, however.

The meeting had earlier been told that members of the plans panel had received an email from Councillor Jonathan Pryor, who is the council’s executive member for education, urging them to support the proposals.

Conservative councillor Barry Anderson expressed unease at this and suggested he no longer wanted to take part in proceedings, adding: “I have concerns that my independence has been eroded slightly by that email.”

Council officers declared, however, that the email was a “letter of representation” and not an “instruction”, and was therefore acceptable.

But Councillor Anderson and his Conservative colleague Trish Smith, along with Liberal Democrat councillor Colin Campbell, later refused to engage with the voting process, apparently in protest.

Labour councillor Sharon Hamilton abstained.

But expressing support for the application, Morley Borough Independent (MBI) councillor Robert Finnigan said: “A lot of the concerns that were raised last time have been addressed.

“This school has done wonderful things in south Leeds. Going back many years, south Leeds from an education point of view was a basketcase. It isn’t any more.

“This school is dong a fabulous job with working-class kids who are often coming from very difficult backgrounds.

“If you look purely at the planning issues there are no strong grounds for refusal.”