The area is situated in the vicinity of the A64 York Road, east Leeds' main thoroughfare, and is also home to a large park dating back from Victorian times which was purchased by Leeds City Council in the late 19th century, when it was waste land. Housing in the area is made up of nineteenth-century through terraced housing, some back-to-back terraced housing. Semi-detached and detached houses are also found in the area.
Many of the back-to-back terraced houses in the area were due to be demolished as part of the £1.3 billion EASEL regeneration scheme in east and south-east Leeds. However these plans were withdrawn in 2010 with Leeds City Council citing the recession debilitating the private sector's ability to build as the main reason.[1][2][3][4]
Older street-fronted terrace. House pictured known as the McMansion.
Rear gardens of terrace houses
Back-to-back terraces
Semi-detached houses
Old and new houses by the park
Charlton Road, one of several streets with Charlton in the name.
Demolition on St Hilda's Crescent
Through-terraced on St Elmo Grove
Back-to-back terraces on Charlton Street
Crime is unevenly distributed across East End Park. The Glensdales, Templeviews and Charltons are a small cluster of predominately back-to-back streets noted for the majority of the area's crime and have subsequently become a priority area of West Yorkshire Police, crime in the rest of the estate is much less common. The same group of streets are a focus of some regeneration in the area.[3]
The area is home to one of the major Irish communities in Leeds, and is home to the prestigious music venue 'Leeds Irish Centre', the first purpose built Irish Centre in Britain. The centre opened on 20 January 1970, although the official opening ceremony was held on 8 June 1970.[5] A blue plaque calls it "The Crucible of Darts", being the location for televised darts matches in 1973. There also a Buddhist temple in a former school by the park.[6]
Leeds Irish Centre
Blue Plaque: The Crucible of Darts
Wat Matchimaram: former school now Buddhist Temple
The Park
East End Park was originally part of the grounds of a mansion, Osmondthorpe Hall (destroyed by fire in 1924), sold to the city in 1886.[7] It is now managed by Parks and Countryside, part of the Learning and Leisure Department,
Leeds City Council. It offers has bowling greens, tennis courts, football pitches and a basketball court. There are plenty of open spaces in the park and areas of well established woodland. There are also seating areas amongst rose and shrub beds. The park hosts many events throughout the year including an annual bonfire and fun fair which attracts up to 10,000 visitors. A tennis camp is held each August for young people.[8]
In March 2009, Trees for Cities and Leeds City Council planted 3,000 whips at East End Park in order to create new areas of urban woodland to help screen the park from the railway line that runs behind it. The planting follows planting in 2007 when, with the help of the local community, 18 large trees were planted to replace those lost in September 2006 when a freak tornado struck the city.[9][10][11]
Park signpost
Bowling green
Victoria Avenue through the park
Footpath going East
The main grassed area, with sports pitches in the distance
