Leeds sets ambition to provide green spaces for all local communities

A ten-year strategy will be considered by Leeds City Council’s executive board next week, which will set out the city’s ambition to provide good quality green spaces for local communities and more wildlife and climate-friendly parks.

The Council is also considering a target of planting 50 hectares of woodland – or the equivalent of 90 football pitches – per year for the next decade, contributing the city’s strategy to tackle the climate emergency and delivering over two million trees.

The strategy also sets out a commitment to create more wildflower meadows and other habitats to allow wildlife to flourish in the city.

Over 45 million adults visit Leeds’ parks annually, and a consultation found that although 90% of respondents were satisfied with them, they would also like to see more wildlife and climate friendly parks and visitor facilities with improved access.

Cllr Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health and active lifestyles, said: ‘Being able to spend time outside in our beautiful parks and green spaces was a much-needed lifeline for many people during the coronavirus pandemic. Having somewhere to visit and be around nature and greenery has major benefits, not only for our mental health but also our physical health, which is why the commitment to ensuring all our communities have access to quality parks and green spaces is so important. 

‘As we look beyond the pandemic, we want our parks to become go-to locations to host an array of diverse and interesting activities and events for adults and children of all different backgrounds to enjoy. We want people to feel encouraged to come together to join our valued volunteers and community groups like ‘In Bloom’ and ‘Friends of’ whose support in maintaining, improving and promoting our parks and green space is invaluable.

‘As part of the strategy, we will consider a bold target of planting 50 hectares of woodland per year, this will work towards achieving the council’s ambitions of reducing carbon, improving air quality and achieving carbon neutral status by 2030.’

In related news, the UK’s first net zero carbon social homes have been completed in East Manchester, with the two properties passed over to residents as part of a wider low carbon housing development.

Photo supplied by Leeds City Council