Plans to demolish 70 houses in a former mining community in southeast Leeds have been rejected by a panel of Leeds City Councillors .
Plans to bulldoze pre-fab homes in Wandsworth Drive and Sugar Hill Close in Oulton and replace them with a mix of detached and semi-detached houses were turned down following a 90-minute debate among councillors .
The plans had been put forward by owners Pemberstone, who said the buildings were defective and needed to be replaced.
But campaigners and residents of the area, who claimed the plans to demolish the current houses could “destroy” a community some have lived in for many years.
The company had said it had no plans for a wholesale demolition – and this week said it wanted to reassure residents that if planning consent is granted it would be offering all those on standard tenancies the opportunity to extend their leases for two years.
But the panel resolved to dismiss the application on the grounds that it would harm a community and issues around garden sizes.
Tenants of the estate celebrated today's decision following a battle to save their homes.
Cindy Readman, chair of the residents association, had previously warned that that if the redevelopment was given the green light families 'would be made homeless' as they 'would have nowhere to go'.
"There are a lot of young families on the estate," she said earlier this year. "They thought they would be here for a long time and have children in school.
"There are also some ex miners, who have lived here for 50, 60 years and they are going to be turfed out and don't know where they're going to go.
"All of the people on this estate rely on friends and family around them. It's a very strong community.
"They would be tearing down a community, not just tearing the houses down."
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