Plans move forward for leisure hub at former oil depot

Plans have now been submitted to Leeds City Council to transform a former oil depot and storage facility near Oulton into a leisure and tourist hub.

Proposals include lodges, a wedding and conference facility and a community building/café, all set within a landscaped setting.

The submission of a planning application by the owners of the site, Ashcourt Group, follows a public consultation in which over three quarters of respondents indicated support.

New community facilities, additional green spaces and the regeneration of this site were all welcomed.

Following positive initial community engagement in 2021, Ashcourt conducted a second, more in-depth public consultation in October 2022.

40 eco-lodges are included in the plans, including one, two and four-bedroom properties, all built using locally sourced materials where possible.

The wedding venue/conference facility would cater for up to 120 guests, with around 35 weddings expected per year in a venue which could also be used for conferences, local community gatherings and events.

Visitors and the wider community would be able to explore the seven acres of landscaped gardens with natural pathways which connect to the surrounding environment.

If planning permission is granted the proposals will generate investment in a brownfield site and create around 25 jobs in hospitality and the general running of the leisure hub.

A spokesman for Ashcourt Group said: “We are pleased with the sustained community support for these plans which would repurpose this underutilised brownfield industrial site into an eco-led leisure hub with new jobs, facilities and open space for the wider community to enjoy.

“We have carefully considered all replies and provided comment addressing concerns around highways, green belt, and construction which we hope will see an overwhelming majority in favour of the plans.”