Council swings away from Roundhay Park Go Ape plans

Roundhay Park in Leeds is no longer being considered as a potential location for high rope adventure course Go Ape.

Leeds City Council and Go Ape said that there were issues which would be “difficult to mitigate if Roundhay Park were to host such a concession” following results of wider analytical work and those from a recent public consultation, which saw a majority of respondents object to the proposal.

The council said it will now work with Go Ape to identify and assess other potential sites that could become a home for such an attraction in the future.

Cllr Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council’s executive member for the environment and sustainability, said: “We were extremely keen from the very start that the public should be able to have their say on the idea of a high ropes adventure course at Roundhay Park and this was why we launched a public consultation. We have listened very closely to the views that were expressed.

“It became very clear to us through the consultation that both lovers of Roundhay Park and some local residents in the area did have concerns regarding this proposal. Taking this and other factors into account highlighted through further wider studies that were undertaken the council has agreed that Roundhay Park will not be put forward as a future site option for this type of attraction.

“We have at the same time also recognised that there were people who contributed to the consultation who supported the idea of a facility opening in Leeds. We have therefore decided to explore alternative locations that may be more suited to host this type of attraction. I would really love to see a high ropes adventure course open in our city but only if we can find the right location for it.”

Ben Davies, head of business development at Go Ape, said:
“We receive numerous requests from customers who have enjoyed Go Ape elsewhere, asking us to open in Leeds, nearer to where they live. We are keen to be able to do so, creating 35 jobs, investing £300,000 in the community and delivering a sustainable and environmentally friendly revenue stream to be reinvested back into our partner parks.

“As part of our consultation in Roundhay Park, we are encouraged by the large volume of support we continue to receive for bringing Go Ape Tree Top Adventure courses to the area, and that the Council is supportive of our search for the right site. As part of our normal procedures, we carried out an independent review of all aspects of our proposals for Roundhay Park, and have concluded that we should widen our search for the best possible location within the Leeds area.

“Go Ape is about creating adventures and encouraging people to live life adventurously and we look forward to finding the right location for all concerned within the Leeds area.”