Leeds City Council’s City Plans Panel have passed the plans for a 2-hectare park on part of the old Tetley’s brewery site in the South Bank area of Leeds.
The project also includes 850 flats, a 5-storey office development, 2 hotels as well as the park area. The plans for the park area outline that it will be split up into 5 sections, providing an amphitheatre, water feature and various children’s play areas to cater for their ages.
The idea of the park area in the city centre is that it meets the climate change emergency declaration. Planning officer, Daljit Singh said “The proposals present a major contribution to a multi-functional city park, that will be child-friendly and accessible. It will be a catalyst for the regeneration of the Tetley brewery site and the wider south bank. As part of the plans, an area around half the size of Millennium Square to the northwest of the site would be known as the Tetley Triangle – a hard-surfaced events space for “concerts, markets, outdoor cinema and outdoor cafe”
The grassed area on the site is set to hold an amphitheatre, a sensory theatre garden and central park areas all made up of grassed areas, trees, playing facilities and a water feature.
All councillors voted in favour of the proposals however, some councillors explained they would like to see additional facilities within the park area.
Coun Caroline Gruen explained I am delighted there are two play areas and they are for two different age groups of children, …I would like to see something that encourages exploratory and active play and gets away from just being on a swing or a roundabout.”
Coun Paul Wadsworth said: “This is a great piece of work. It looks on paper really good.” He further requested that more should be done to introduce outdoor exercise equipment to the park.