Consultation on complex site options for Leeds school underway

A consultation on site options for the proposed Roundhay Park Primary free school is now open.

A free school bid from the Roundhay Park Primary School Trust has been approved by the Secretary of State for Education to provide additional school places in the Roundhay area.

However, Leeds City Council says there are “no straightforward sites” in the area to deliver a school because it is surrounded by parkland and green belt land.

A consultation on four site options to host the school is now underway.

“Given the sensitivity of these sites we feel it is right that all interested parties have a say on whether they should be further considered for this purpose,” the council said.

It also says it has been working with the Education Funding Agency (EFA) and the Trust applicants to identify a suitable site to build the 420 pupil school but this has “so far proved problematic”.

Cllr Lisa Mulherin, Leeds City Council’s executive member for children and families said: “We have to find school places for the children in this part of Roundhay and we have been working for a very long time to do that with the Trust that applied to provide these places through a Free School and the Government’s Education Funding Agency, who hold the funding for new schools.

“All of the sites considered have significant planning or highways concerns and there is no perfect solution to meet this need.

“We are now jointly seeking the views of the public on four of those sites and we want all interested residents, parents and communities to ensure their voices are heard in helping determine this matter.”