YEP Says: Why '˜sink estate' is a place locals can be proud of

Leeds City Council are going to court to try to get an unusual order which would ban non-residents from two blocks of flats in Wortley that have been blighted by anti-social behaviour. They are Clyde Grange and Clyde Court pictured.
23rd Febuary 2016.
Picture : Jonathan Gawthorpe — Leeds City Council are going to court to try to get an unusual order which would ban non-residents from two blocks of flats in Wortley that have been blighted by anti-social behaviour. They are Clyde Grange and Clyde Court pictured. 23rd Febuary 2016. Picture : Jonathan Gawthorpe

Leeds has more than its fair share of such places. But one of them, New Wortley, has proven that with everyone pulling in the right direction, such areas really can be secure, warm and welcoming places to live and raise families.

New Wortley is one of the country’s most economically deprived neighbourhoods but now its residents can tell people with pride where they live.

Locals secured a £680,000 Lottery grant to rebuild their community centre and residents lobbied relentlessly to encourage investment and came up with new ways of dealing with long-standing problems such as drugs and anti-social behaviour.

The community says some £3.5 million pounds of investment has now been made and new ways of working will “improve outcomes”.

New jobs have been created and a major initiative is under way to help people living there to thrive, not just survive.

This work hasn’t been easy but it shows with the right attitude and well-invested money, no-where should be written off. Other estates, rather than wallowing in self-pity, should follow suit.