"AT LAST: SOMEWHERE FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY"

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 2nd Nov 2004

After years of campaigning by local councillors, kids living in the Royal Park area of Hyde Park will soon have a state of the art place to play.

Funding has now been agreed for a fantastic new park featuring an all-weather pitch suitable for informal games of football and other ball games, a children's play area and landscaped seating areas suitable for picnics, with plans approved by the local community including local children.

Cllr Greg Mulholland (Lib Dem, Headingley),who lives in the area, has been leading the campaign for the last 18 months says, "We are delighted the new park is going ahead. Local children having been crying out for a place to play and this will be a very attractive new feature for the area."

Cllr Mulholland is now working with Hyde Park & Woodhouse Councillors, Penny Ewens, Kabeer Hussain and Linda Rhodes-Clayton (Lib Dem, Hyde Park & Woodhouse) to ensure the scheme comes to fruition. The North West Inner Area Committee of Leeds City Council agreed on 14th October to provide £16,000 to allow the scheme to go-ahead, and Council Officers drew up plans today which mean the playing fields should be open next summer.

Councillor Hussain said, "Well done to the Area Committee for providing the final piece of funding to allow the playing fields to be completed. The area has been crying out for this kind of park for far too long."

"There's been a long and drawn out consultation process, but in the end it looks like we've got a really impressive facility for all of the local community to use. As well as an all-weather pitch suitable for all kinds of ball-games, there'll be a seated picnic area and children's play area. There'll also be three ramps to allow disabled people to access the park."

"The perimeter of the park is to be landscaped, and more trees will be planted to add to those already there. This will be a real treasure for the local community."