Residents in Holbeck can enjoy a new commemorative garden that has been officially unveiled to mark the completion of new council housing in the area.
With a nod to the past, the garden incorporates two replica plaques recovered from the now demolished Holbeck Towers which celebrate the contribution of two historical figures to housing in the area. Hugh Gaitskell was influential in the creation of the five tower blocks on Holbeck Moor Road in the 1960s which, at the time, provided much needed homes for hundreds of Leeds residents. Reverend Charles Jenkinson was responsible for the demolition of some 14,000 ‘slum dwellings’ in the 1930s, and the creation of thousands of homes in council estates across Leeds.
The opening of the garden took place on Friday 29 January on Jenkinson Lawn, next to The Holbeck, and a number of local residents were in attendance. Local councillors Angela Gabriel, Adam Ogilvie and David Congreve (Labour, Beeston and Holbeck) and the Council’s Executive Member for Communities, Debra Coupar, were on hand, along with the choir from Ingram Road Primary School who performed a special song to mark the occasion.
Over recent years Holbeck has benefitted from a significant amount of investment from the Council in its housing stock. Around 300 flats on Holbeck Moor Road which were very unpopular with local residents have been demolished and 275 new, modern, energy efficient council properties have been built to replace them. In addition, a further 407 council homes have been completely refurbished to make them warmer, safer and more comfortable to live in. The transformation of the local area has been widely praised by local residents, many of whom are now enjoying their new homes.
Councillor Angela Gabriel (Labour, Beeston and Holbeck) said:
“This part of Holbeck has undergone an enormous transformation over recent years and it’s brilliant to finally be able to mark to completion of the project. The new housing is a huge improvement on what we had before and we’re already hearing positive reports from the residents enjoying their new homes. The garden is a wonderful reminder of the contributions of many to housing in Leeds over decades and it was wonderful to see lots of residents join us at the opening as we look forward to fostering our new community further in the future.”
