School-site building limited to tennis courts and flats

an historic Leeds school has been saved from demolition.

A planning inspector has ruled that the former Leeds Girls High School should not be destroyed to make way for new homes.

The decision follows a week-long public hearing last month.

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Developers The Morley House Trust lodged the appeal after members of Leeds City Council last year voted to refuse five applications to build a mix of more than 100 apartments and town houses on the site between Victoria Road and Headingley Lane.

The campus became surplus to requirements after the high school moved to Alwoodley Gates as part of its merger with Leeds Grammar School to create The Grammar School at Leeds.

The inspector decided that the council was right to turn down most of Leeds Grammar School’s plans to demolish the old building so that housing could be built on the site.

He agreed with the council that such building would undermine the character of the area and damage trees. He did however approve plans to turn Rose Court into 12 apartments.

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He also rejected objectors’ arguments that the tennis courts should not be built on, accepting the school’s argument that they were not in public use. Replacement courts had been provided at the Alwoodley site, they said.

Headingley Lib Dem councillors welcomed the announcement but said it was important for residents to remain vigilant about any future plans.

Councillor Jamie Matthews said: “I’m pleased that the inspector has dismissed the new build on the site.

“I’m glad he recognised that the scheme would have worsened the character of the area and also his concerns about the impact of the proposed schemes on the trees.

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”But I’m very disappointed that he disagrees with the community’s view that the tennis courts should not be built on.

“Headingley has very little open space and poor sports provision so we go to great lengths to protect the little that we do have.

“It is clear that a new scheme will now have to be drawn up which is more sympathetic to the character of the area and that will be welcomed by the vast majority of residents in Headingley.”

Coun Martin Hamilton added: “We are not against redeveloping and reusing the site.”