Campaigners fighting the development of the Leeds Girls High School site have welcomed councillors' decision to vote against the plans.
As reported here, councillors on the west plans panel voted to reject the proposals for more than 100 dwellings, with a mix of apartments and townhouses. A report detailing specific reasons for refusal will be brought back to the next plans panel meeting.
The application had received widespread opposition in the community, including more than 1,300 letters of objection.
Community campaigners in the Headingley and Hyde Park and Woodhouse areas had earlier this year fought off proposals for a controversial barbecue area on Woodhouse Moor and plans to close City of Leeds School in Woodhouse.
Chairman of South Headingley Community Organisation, Sue Buckle, said she was very pleased with the result - but warned there was still work to do.
"This decision has shown the tenacity of this community and it's shown that it cares about what happens. I was pleased that so many of the councillors mentioned about the needs of the local community - it was also bloody good to see the Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors working together in the council chamber on this issue.
"I just wish it was all over really, the council still has to bring a report back detailing reasons for refusal and the developer could also appeal."
Chair of the Leeds Girls High School Action Group Pam Bone said:
"We have gone in the right direction today. They have understood the needs of the community and I am very pleased they voted against it."
Bone added that there was now an opportunity for the council's planning department to 'go down the right route' with any future proposals for the site, but she added:
"If the school goes to appeal, we will be making representations with the evidence we have collected against the scheme."
Buckle said the community was also starting to raise funds for local resident Bill McKinnon, who last month had unsuccessfully mounted a bid for a judicial review into the procedure that led to the council's planning department recommending approval of the proposals at previous plans panel meetings. He was ordered to pay the costs of the legal challenge.
Headingley councillors welcome decision
The decision was welcomed by Headingley Liberal Democrat councillors Martin Hamilton and James Monaghan.
Hamilton said:
"I am delighted that these planning applications for the Leeds Girls High School site have been refused. The community rejected any building on playing pitches more than two years ago. In my view, it is absolutely right that the plans panel have now come to the same view."
Monaghan added:
"My congratulations go to the Leeds Girls High School Action Group, community groups and more than 1,000 objectors. This shows what a community can achieve when it works together.
"Leeds Girls High School will now have to go back to the drawing board in the knowledge that they cannot ignore community concerns again."
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