Churwell Park Improvement Plan confirmed!

The children’s play areas in Churwell Park are set for a major improvement plan following work by Morley Borough Independent Town and City Councillors. The improvement plan – which is supported by a fund of over £100,000 – will see the first major investment in the playground for over a decade.

My colleague Cllr Bob Gettings has been talking to Churwell residents who have raised their concerns about the fact that the playground is beginning to look tired and dated. We have identified funds from Developer contributions which will allow us to refurbish the playground and bring it right up to date.

The improvement plan is to go out to consultation next month and this will influence the final plan which will go out to tender later in the year.

This initiative has been led by Churwell Town Councillors who have campaigned relentlessly for this improvement plan. We need to have the support of local residents with any plan that is drawn up and this is why a full consultation programme is being undertaken.

The improvement plan should be finalised during Spring and we

hope the work will commence late summer and be completed before the end of the year.

Community Centre Summit - the way ahead.




Lewisham Park Centre

 I met with local community centre users and Morley Borough Independent Councillor colleagues to explore plans to prevent the threatened closure of two community centres in the Morley area proposed by Labour Leeds City Council. Community Centre Groups, who use the threatened centres at Lewisham Park and Gildersome Youth Centre, agreed a way ahead with us to look at delivering a sustainable future for both centres.

My colleague Cllr Wyn Kidger confirmed that the Lewisham Park Centre does excellent work with children, young people and the disabled and it is essential we find a way to keep the centre open. Our discussions explored the option of the local groups taking over the centre. This would provide a positive solution as the Centre would be better used and more revenue brought in to support it.

Lewisham Park Centre users will now meet with Leeds City Council officers to explore the options for a community take-over of the building which will cut costs as well as increase usage at the Centre.

My ward colleague Cllr Bob Gettings confirmed that the Groups using the Youth Centre in Gildersome were keen to explore the options of transferring to Gildersome Community Centre on Town Street but that would probably require an extension to accommodate all groups.

It was agreed that Gildersome Community Groups would form a plan of what accommodation they need and to explore the potential for extending the Meeting Hall with planners and Outer South Area Committee staff.

We are looking for a commitment from Labour Leeds City Council that funds which might be generated from the sale of the Youth Centre would be used to improve and extend the Meeting Hall. This would provide the savings Labour Leeds City Council are looking for and all the groups presently using the Youth Centre would be accommodated in an extended Meeting Hall.

We will be meeting senior Council staff over the next two to three weeks to explore the options of delivering long term future plans for both centres. We must do all we can to prevent Labour Leeds City Council closing these important centres that support such great work across all our communities.

Save Low Moor Farm Campaign

Another Morley Greenfield site under threat

We have started a campaign to save a Greenfield site from development following a housing planning application from house builders Persimmons. The site, at Low Moor Farm off Wide Lane in Morley, is subject to an application for over 200 houses with access off Albert Drive.

Our Campaign co-ordinator Wyn Kidger – who led the campaign to stop development at Church Fields in East Ardsley, says “We have launched a similar campaign to protect Low Moor Farm and we are adopting the same approach. We will be delivering a flyer to all residents affected by this housing proposal encouraging hundreds of objection letters. We aim to have the same success here as we had at Church Fields.”

The Greenfield site is presently used for grazing horses and provides a green corridor between residents on the Newlands and Rydal Estates and Dewsbury Road.

Wyn says this is a controversial application not least because the access is off Albert Drive at the end of the Rydal’s and Newlands housing Estates. Anyone who knows the estate is aware that there are already too many cars using the estate and giving planning permission for a further 200 houses – that’s a further 400 car movements – will just gridlock the area. Everyone knows that local schools are already full and health centres overwhelmed. As Leeds City Council has granted planning permission for a further 400 plus houses on other Greenfield sites across Morley is it essential residents back our campaign to retain this important Morley Greenfield site.

Labour Leeds City Council voted to adopt a housing target of 74,000 new homes by 2028 at its meeting last November although this target was opposed by Morley MBI Councillors.

Labours LDF has not done any favours for the residents of Morley. We need to defend our Greenfield sites as we successfully did at Church Fields. This campaign will get the community involved again with the aim of saving this valuable Greenfield site.