Holbeck Herald News about the Holbeck Neighbourhood Plan and other local issues It’s a year since Holbeck residents voted 79.64% “yes” in a referendum to accept the Neighbourhood Plan and subsequently Leeds City Council accepted and gave their approval. The Holbeck Neighbourhood Plan covers the period to 2028 and aims to enhance the best in the area and improve its shortcomings. It allows the community of Holbeck to shape the development and growth of the local area through a shared vision for the neighbourhood.
March 2019
In this issue of the Holbeck Herald we will cover a range of local issues from the “Managed Approach” to planning applications, footpath closures and heritage at risk. We also feature agencies that can offer help and support to us here in the Holbeck community. The full neighbourhood plan is available to read online at: www. holbeckneighbourhoodplan.org.uk
Listening Well to move the Managed Approach debate forward T he Neighbourhood Plan and the members of our Forum want to see a future where local people are involved in decision making. We are pleased to be part of the “Listening Well” campaign. This will consist of consultation events, co-commissioning of an external researcher producing a report and public meetings hosted by the residents group “Voice of Holbeck.” We have aligned ourselves with the reference group known as the “Voice of Holbeck” sharing their aspirations to end street prostitution in Holbeck/Leeds with the immediate aim of reducing its impact on residents, prostituted people and businesses. We are of the opinion that the Managed Approach adopted in October 2014 by concerned and well-meaning people and agencies is not working to either protect the women involved in prostitution, or the residents and businesses. In the words of a senior representative from Safer Leeds, the Managed Approach has to date “fallen short of expectations”. A forest of charities and women’s groups, the English Collective of Prostitutes, academics and others have
A prostitute at work in Holbeck dominated the conversations and have led the debate on prostitution. We locals are not professionally qualified, but have a first-hand experience of the hardships and heartbreaks that the women suffer day to day. Despite opinions to the contrary these street sex workers are not safe and can never be made safe. Working towards a Managed Approach that provides a ‘safe place’ is a misnomer. Anything less than ending street prostitution and working actively to achieve this is a deceit and a dereliction of care for these women. Street
Prostitution must be given the same priority as that with Rough Sleepers with the setting up of a dedicated support team that will work with street prostitutes on a daily basis to offer intensive support with the intention of finding an alternative way of living. Over the past four years residents and businesses have borne the brunt of anti-social behaviour that has flowed from the establishment of the Managed Approach or the Managed Zone as it was called. • Families and businesses moving out of Holbeck • Individuals ashamed of stating that they live in Holbeck • Incidents of indecency
witnessed by children • Violence on our streets and other anti-social behaviours • Kerb Crawling and associated intimidation All these can be directly attributed to the introduction of the Managed Approach. The Police, despite being reinforced recently, are hard pressed to be everywhere at the time when incidents are reported. The Cleansing team assigned to Holbeck have been helpful and responded directly to the reported sighting of sex and drug associated litter. Official statistics reveal that sex litter collected outside the managed zone (used condoms, surgical gloves and blooded wipes) is now greater than the amount of sex litter collected within the zone. In response to all the difficulties encountered through the introduction of the Managed Approach the “Voice of Holbeck” group has over the past months sought to confront the Strategic Leeds Group (Cllr Debra Coupa, Steve Cotter, Paul Money, James Rogers) as well as our Ward Councillors with the concerns of the community seeking to gain their respect into taking our concerns and issues seriously.
As a result of the “Listening Well” campaign we can, hopefully through listening, influence and steer the future, changing the direction and make a difference. The first “Listening Well” public meeting was held on 28 February and subsequent meetings and interactive events are planned. The involvement of all members of the community is needed to affect change. Please engage in this meaningful dialogue moving forward to a realistic effective position, where the community is safe and prostituted persons are freed from their chaotic lifestyles. The “Listening Well” campaign is organised by the Voice of Holbeck email Voiceholbeck @gmail.com If you are having issues with the managed approach the Police have provided a dedicated number 07534 309568. However important to note that if indecency or other criminal behaviours are ongoing please dial 999 If you aren’t having issues but would like to engage with the “Save our Eyes” group contact facebook.com/SaveOur EyesLeeds if you are not on Facebook find them here www.saveoureyes.co.uk
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Holbeck Herald | March 2019
Local issues Connectivity blocked
Retrospective Planning Application
n February, Leeds Magistrates ruled that a local footpath on Sutton Street existing since the 1800’s is to be made redundant. The footpath linked a railway underpass with Whitehall Road, a route that was a useful link from Wortley and Armley into Holbeck and the City. Caddicks who are managing development on the old Petty’s site, that suffered a fire in 2016, paid the costs for LCC to bring the case for closure to court. The Neighbourhood Plan made representation
plot of land known as Springwell View in Holbeck has been purchased privately. The new owners have fenced the site and are using the fencing to enclose a car park from which they gain remuneration. The fencing has been erected and apparently has encroached on public land. In building the fence an historic stone wall denoting the underground course of the Hol-beck has been
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believing that this walking route, despite being neglected, could have been retained and upgraded. The ruling went against us and now the developers have a blank canvas to build without the hindrance of a public pathway through the site.
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Pollution and Awaiting clarity disruption
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iffa have leased a site from Network Rail off Springwell Road for use as a Refuse Transfer Station. This, despite objections from Leeds Civic Trust and ourselves The Neighbourhood Plan. It appears that street type refuse will be transferred at this location onto rail transport. However transfer will require lorries to bring the waste onto the site
requiring 40 road journeys in daylight hours. Roads within the area are already congested and the suggested routes to the site seem vague. Dust and some contamination will clearly be evident from this process, this in a proposed clean air zone. Leeds City Council have given approval, with some benefit to themselves, as they are planning to use this site for their own refuse disposal.
No Right of Way - tunnel at Petty’s now blocked
Council elections
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lections to Leeds City Council will be held on Thursday 2 May 2019. One Councillor in Beeston & Holbeck ward will be elected.
In order to vote you must be on the electoral register and you must register by Friday 12 April. To register for your vote go to: www.gov.uk/ register-to-vote
The Burberry site off Sweet Street (Formerly Kay’s / Reality)
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he Neighbourhood Plan are waiting to be contacted both by Leeds City Council and Leeds United FC about their proposals for a football training facility on the Matthew Murray site at Brown Lane East. Our plan, supported by the community, proposed that the site should be used for a mix of housing and public green space.
Biffa’s waste transfer station
Burberry site: Marshall Street/ Sweet Street The company announced that the site would house a factory but due to changes in their fortunes have shelved this development. In a recent announcement they intimated that the site could be mothballed for 10 years. The Neighbourhood Plan believes this to be unacceptable, a large brown field swathe of land, undeveloped for a decade.
Problem solving walkabouts
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he next date for the quarterly multiagency walkabout in Holbeck is Wednesday 17th
April. These walkabouts cover the Recreations, Crosbys, Rydalls and Colensos area of Holbeck and are attended by the Cleaner Neighbourhoods Team, Police, ASB and Communities Team.
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demolished. The Neighbourhood Plan have responded to the retrospective planning application objecting on the grounds of encroachment of Car park at Springwell View the boundary, the overbearing height that the car parking arrangement has and type of the fencing and on the fact not been approved by the Council.
We also have representation from all the main housing providers in the area including, Housing Leeds, Unity Housing, Leeds Federated Housing, Canopy and a good number of the private landlords. Since 2015 these walkabouts have helped resolve over 1100 issues relating to road conditions, unsightly properties, fly tipped waste, etc.
across 50 streets and covering 1,200 properties. Residents living in this area of Holbeck are encouraged to come out and meet the partners during these walkabouts to discuss and raise any issues that are affecting them. Partners will meet at 9:45am at St.Matthew’s Church prior to going out on the walkabout.
The Holbeck Herald is published by Holbeck Neighbourhood Forum. Cont
Holbeck Herald | March 2019
Welcome to our new neighbours
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erry Prest, Director of the new Buddist Centre in Holbeck popped into our last Forum meeting to introduce himself and to inform us of the new Buddist centre that was being set up in Holbeck. Jamyang Buddhist Centre has just bought a 33,000 sq ft office/warehouse space on Ingram Road, Holbeck, and is turning it into a community centre to include meditation, yoga, cafe, bookshop, charity shop, library, hall to rent and office spaces to rent. The centre will run regular classes for relaxation and stress reduction, calming the mind, mindfulness, as well as linking up with other local charities such as Connect for Health. Jamyang has been
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Bloomin’ marvellous
Help on hand at the Hub
T Buddist monks survey their new community centre
providing meditation and buddhist study since 1996 in Leeds but this is the first time they have owned a building. The community is looking for another £20,000 to complete the renovations, and will open to the public last weekend of April this year. All are welcome, and classes are all offered for free with a suggested
donation. Patron David Lascelles, Earl of Harewood says, "I’m absolutely delighted to hear that Jamyang Leeds has acquired a property in Holbeck...It’s good for Jamyang, good for Holbeck and good for the people of Leeds, Buddhist and nonBuddhist alike." Find out more at their website: www.jamyangleeds.co.uk
Building at risk t a recent meeting the Neighbourhood Plan was informed, alongside an invited audience in Holbeck, that the Historic Grade 1 listed Temple Works on Marshall Street is in an extremely dangerous condition. CEG stepped in to buy the iconic building last year. This highly complex building with a fascinating
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story to tell has a challenging future ahead. To date the development company CEG with an undeniable affinity to Holbeck have spent in the region of £1 million in survey and engineering costs. As a keenness to be transparent about the issues raised by surveyors they are inviting anyone interested to these drop in events. Wednesday 20th March:
Holbeck Moor
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his year Holbeck in Bloom are working in partnership with the Friends of Holbeck Moor Group and LCC Parks and Countryside and focusing on the Moor. Laurels are being planted alongside the motorway fence to give screening and greenery. A wildflower
meadow is to be planted on the corner triangle near the motorway underpass and picnic tables are being placed near the children’s playground. We are always seeking volunteers and any help is welcome please contact Ian ian.pickup@yahoo.co.uk
he Support Hub@Holbeck at 5 Recreation View has now been open for 6 months and has been helping residents in Holbeck with a multitude of issues. The hub is located in the heart of your community and is open 9:30am – 4pm Tuesday to Thursday and the team can offer advice on: !Finding work, applying for training or writing a CV. !Reporting issues that are affecting you such as; antisocial behaviour, fly tipping, dog fouling, etc. !Personal or housing debt from our Money Buddies Service. !Housings issues and empty homes. !What is going on in the local area.
10.30-12.00 at “The Holbeck” Jenkinson Lawn, Holbeck , LS11 9QX 15.30-19.30 at “Northern Monk” The Old Flax Store, Marshalls Mill, Marshall St, LS11 9YJ CEG have stated, that detailed engagement with Leeds City Council and Historic England will continue and we will endeavour to keep the community informed as work progresses.
Get involved, get informed! Holbeck Neighbourhood Forum Meeting Saturday 30th March 2019 Refreshments 12noon Meeting starts at 12.30pm at “ The Holbeck” Jenkinson Lawn Holbeck LS11 9QX All welcome Amelia Wood receives a certificate from County Commissioner Jan Ali
tact: 07505 157259 or Email: hello@holbeckneighbourhoodplan.org.uk
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Holbeck Herald | March 2019
Aid for the whole community
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ur Charity has been based in Holbeck for years serving the elderly and more recently working more widely in the community. We believe in Holbeck and love the people we serve. Our services are numerous and our office on Domestic Street is more accessible than ever. Our community Café is a good place to meet and whatever your age can we assure you of a warm friendly welcome. St. Matthew’s Community Café
Every Thursday 10am12pm. Our Chef Julie prepares a freshly cooked, healthy breakfast and
you’ll be served by our fantastic team of volunteers. You’ll have access to great discounts
at our pay-as-you-feel food shop, where a range of fresh produce is supplied by our food partnership with Fareshare. And whether you want a beginners lesson or you’re ready to battle the masters, our Ping Pong guru Pete will help you get in some light exercise and a bit of fun! Whatever your preference, there’s something for everyone, and opportunities to meet new people who live locally.
New chapter for Holbeck club
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or the past six years volunteers have managed and run “The Holbeck” saving it for certain closure. Members and friends have given good support and this year’s annual accounts recorded a profitable balance. The
were looking for a new home and the club was faced with diminishing support from volunteers making planning for the future uncertain. Working together seemed to be the answer to both our prayers and in January Slung Low took on a lease on the building and
club, probably the oldest Woking Men’s Club in the country, celebrated 140 years in 2018. In September the club agreed to enter into partnership with Slung Low an established theatre company in Holbeck. They
took on the management of the club. Together we are able to work towards a joint vision whereby the club building becomes a permanent and vibrant part of the community and we are looking forward to the
Holbeck Gala Saturday 6 July on Holbeck Moor The Gala committee have already started planning but it’s not too late to join. Contact: altykate@gmail.com
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next milestone in ten years’ time. “The Holbeck” is now realising its full potential under the professional team at Slung Low, club events, theatrical extravaganzas, training, taster sessions and lots more are now a possibility and not a dream. Joanna Resnick from Slung Low adds: Coming up soon at The Holbeck we have two exciting and original performances as part of the programme of touring theatre shows hosted by Slung Low. The first is Drip (Sunday 10th March at 5pm), a heart-warming one-man musical comedy about swimming against the tide by award-winning duo Tom Wells and Matthew Robins. The following show t’Other (Sunday 28th April, 5pm), created and performed by The Beggars Belief Collective, is a riotous contemporary folk
story aimed at anyone who wants an entertaining and thought provoking evening. In an exciting collaboration between The Beggars Belief Collective and Slung Low's Cultural Community College, t’Other will feature a performance from our very own Holbeck Choir as part of the show. The Holbeck Choir is always welcoming of new members. We come together on Tuesday evenings at 6.30pm for a home-cooked meal at The Holbeck, followed by singing 7-8.30pm. All of our activities here are Pay What You Decide, which means you decide how much to pay after taking part. For more details on both the shows and the Cultural Community College, and to reserve your free ticket, visit www.slunglow.org. We look forward to welcoming you here soon.
Holbeck Foodbank
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olbeck Food Bank is my passion and has been since 2012 when our church, Holbeck Christian Fellowship, perceived a growing need in Leeds 11 for people needing food. At the same time we were approached by Mosaic Church who had a similar vision and thus Holbeck Food Bank was formed. These two churches held a strong belief that when people need food they should have it as soon as possible and not have to wait for a local centre to be open so an undertaking was made to deliver food to people in their own homes within 24/48 hours. We still believe this is the right thing to do but finding volunteers to do this can prove difficult. Many people believe that food banks receive government funding but this is not the case, our own small food bank does not have any paid workers and is run purely by volunteers who do not even take expenses for fuel and often put little extras in the parcels at their own expense. Our parcels are made up of non-perishable items together with fresh milk, bread, cheese and a buttery spread. De Puy Synthes, a company based in South Leeds, give us a great deal of help by doing a monthly shop for us and by having a small team who have committed to doing deliveries in their lunch breaks or on their
way home from work. We also have food donated by individuals, by other local churches and by Fare Share then we have to buy everything else we need. We have received other funding from Red Nose Day, Leeds Rag, our local councillors and from individuals who from time to time organise small fund raising events and we have a small number of people who make a regular monthly contribution by standing order. Without all the aforementioned Holbeck Food Bank would not be able to fulfil its obligation to those in need in our area. In 2012 we perceived a need and now in 2019 that need is even greater. We currently have 5 regular volunteers who deliver on average to about 14 individuals / families per week. In 2018 we delivered 583 parcels in total. Do you have a car and a bit of free time? Do you believe that this is a worthwhile thing to do? If so, contact David on 07710 467587 for more details and you could become a volunteer and help this growing need in our area.
Fun, family, community church in Holbeck
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osaic Church meets in St. Matthew’s community centre in Holbeck on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month at 4pm. Services are informal, open to all ages, and always followed by food. Everyone is welcome. Whether you’ve lived in
Holbeck your whole life or moved here recently, this is a church for the whole community. If you’ve never been to church before, or haven’t for a while, why not give it a try? We believe in a God of love who brings hope, freedom and joy. Natalie, a local mum, said
when she first got invited she thought she wouldn’t like it and wouldn’t go again, but after going a few times she now says she loves going to church, ‘I’ve made loads of friends and I feel like praying has really helped me a lot.’ Mosaic has also been running an ‘Alpha’ course on Wednesday evenings, which is
an introduction to Christianity. If you are interested in Alpha or would like more information about Mosaic Church please contact Hannah at hannah.pearson@mosaicchurch.org.uk, search Mosaic Church Holbeck on Facebook, or just pop along on a Sundaywe’d love to see you there!
The Holbeck Herald is published by Holbeck Neighbourhood Forum. Contact: 07505 157259 or Email: hello@holbeckneighbourhoodplan.org.uk