…so please don’t leave it too long if you support or object to the plans.
- Go to Leeds City Council planning site: https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications/
- Type the reference number 14/01839 or enter Allerton Grove into the search field.
- Click on the Comments tab. You’ll need to register so that you can make comments.
It doesn’t take long to register, but it does take a while for these log-in details to take effect, so don’t leave it until the last minute.
So far, there are 20 objections, 19 of which cite factors relating to the school’s needs as a key reason. Here some of the comments made so far:
The Reserved Matters include detailed designs for the Urban Park which now exclude any reference to the sports pitch for the use by Moortown Primary School.
The Delegation Report for the Outline Application refers to the sports pitch in the following item:
10.14 [quote from Delegation Report is made here]
10.15 [quote from Delegation Report is made here]
This shows that officers were including the future provision of a formal sporting ground which could be used by the school as part of the reasons they were recommending it be approved.
All through the consultation with the school and local community the provision of this sports pitch for the use of the school was of highest importance as highlighted in the developer’s design and access statement.
14 April
My objection is based on the following points:-
1. All previous application submissions to this point have made reference to specific amenities being made available to Moortown Primary School, however this has not been included in the Section 106 agreement or the subsequent Reserved Matters application. Had this not been included from the start of the process then further objections would have been raised.
2. The existing use of the land by the school for sporting activity over many years will be lost due to the landscaping that is included in the application.
3. The school is looking to preserve existing rights, not improve them. As the new park will be public this will require a secure area being provided, and this provision is completely absent in the current proposal.
4. The current proposal goes against the National Planning Framework which aims to uphold a good standard of amenity for all existing occupiers. This is clearly not the case as these proposals provide no allocated space for the school.
02 May, second objection listed on this date
As a resident of Moortown I strongly object to this planning application. In the outline planning application all parties were led to believe that there would be space and amenities available for Moortown Primary children to access, subsequently at this point I had no objection as I do not oppose the small development of houses or the park. However, at this point it has become clear that this was not accurate information and that actually the children will not be given any green space to use. The suggestion that they use a public park is ludicrous, safeguarding is paramount and the children of the school need to continue to be educated in an environment that they feel safe in.
The children have been using the current amenities for many established years, this means that the school is not asking for something they never had, they are asking for their rights to be upheld and the children’s access to outdoor space to continue. It is simply a request to preserve the little the school already has.
There is an opportunity here to teach the next generation about healthy eating as they grow their own produce, the importance of exercise, team sports and the great outdoors and it seems archaic to be taking these away from children in the current obesity crisis that this country is in.
02 May, second objection listed on this date
In addition, Sport England has lodged a statutory objection.
There are some comments in support, too; all these come from Moortown Community Group in one overall letter of support. Some of the points they support are below:
Much thought has been given to the tree planting… The children’s play area is particularly appealing… We agree that this park will make a contribution to Leeds as a child friendly city but there are also many older people living nearby who may prefer some quieter corners for sitting…
Because the comments are available in a different format on the Leeds City Council planning (case file) website, full comments are not as easily quoted here, hence a link to the full letter from Moortown Community Group is made here.