Sprucing up Middleton’s green spaces

Leeds City Council is set to spend over £300,000 on improving a number of green spaces across the Middleton Park ward.

The funding, totally £327,551, comes from Keepmoat’s Towcester Avenue / Thorpe Lane housing development. The sum was agreed as part of the scheme’s planning permission in a ‘Section 106 agreement.’

Speaking on behalf of fellow ward Councillors Judith Blake and Kim Grove, Cllr Paul Truswell told South Leeds Life:

“Section 106 monies are sums that developers agree to pay the Council as part of their planning permission. The money has to be used for purposes that are specified in a legal agreement between the Council and the developer. It usually relates to projects such as improving the environment and open spaces.

“We would like to use this particular sum of s106 money for a number of potential projects that residents have raised with us in the past.  We will be exploring these further in consultation with local people over the next few years.  These projects include improvements to public rights-of-way and the belt of green space running from St Georges Road to Middleton Road, including access improvements, signage and work to the ponds on the Plantation. The plans also include tree planting.

“We will also be consulting local residents on what they would like to see on the open space that will form part of the future council housing development of 170 homes on at the bottom of Middleton Park Avenue.

“Some of the money has also been potentially earmarked for improvements to the sports court and playground in Middleton Park, to continue the process of making it one of the finest parks in the country.”

Alan Shaw, from the Friends of Middleton Park added:

“The Friends of Middleton Park welcome any investment in the infrastructure supporting access to sport in the Park. Over the last few years, with investment in the Park supported by the work of the Friends and others locally, we have seen a significant rise in the number of visitors to the Park who want access to better facilities.

“The opening of the Leeds Urban Bike Park has put the Park firmly on the national cycling map (with award-winning trails), and it would be great if other areas of the park already used for some form of sporting or play activity could be sympathetically improved to give the local community what is needed.”

Work on the various projects is expected to start this year be completed by March 2023.

 

Photo via Google Streetview

 

3 Replies to “Sprucing up Middleton’s green spaces”

  1. We have a lovely walk way around the new forest plantation but the ponds are looking very dirty and need a good clear out. We could do with a little path around the end and in to the ponds so the local chodlren can see and feed the widlife. It would be lovely for the children to explore the outside near their houses and see the different wildlife on their doorstep.

  2. There is a park in the middle of the new first village, half is a grassed area, I would like to see this space been utilised as an outdoor exercise gym, with various pieces of equipment on. Would be great

  3. It’s gone from part of the field at the bottom of the avenue to half of it! Be full field before long no green space or play area what so ever at the far end of Middleton spend some money down there everything “nice” always goes in the direction of the park. Middleton exists past the park! The money has come from the sale of the field so use it to improve what will if any be left of the field if councillors lived near the field they’d be insisting on it

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