A CHILDREN’s charity has big ambitions for a piece of unloved land in Holme Wood which had become a magnet for fly tipping and dog fouling.

The Valley Project has submitted plans to Bradford Council to build a adventure play space and secure the site so it can be used for the benefit of youngsters in the area. The charity took on the land, on Stirling Crescent, and cleared the once “no go zone” of fly tipping, dog mess and other detritus to make way for a play space.

Project co-ordinator Steven McHugh said: “We now rarely come across these issues as the community understands that the children and young people use the site. The space is used by children and young people to meet, play, develop friendships, learn skills and develop personally, socially and emotionally, with staff on hand to offer support and guidance.”

The site, around two acres, is owned by Bradford Council and the charity is now in the final stages of securing a long-term lease in order to become a fully-functioning ‘junk’ adventure play space, created by young people using recycled loose parts like pallets, wood and cardboard. This would offer year-round, free-of-charge outdoor play and learning provision. As part of the application, the charity wants to install fencing around the perimeter and add basic hygiene facilities.

The charity says that a secure boundary will enable it to use the full extent of the land and session times can increase to five days week - for longer periods of time. It will also mean curriculum-based activities and training can be offered to schools and organisations in the area.

Since the project began in June last year, 460 youngsters have engaged in activities.

Mr McHugh said: “Feedback from parents and carers is that the project is helping to bring the community together and having a positive impact on their children. Children have reported feeling fitter, stronger and generally happier when attending sessions.”

He added: “By offering play sessions, with an element of excitement and challenge, children and young people are able to get the ‘buzz’ they crave but within a safe, supportive environment.”

PC Faye Burkinshaw, Holme Wood Ward Officer, has written in support of the plans. She said she thought it would help to tackle anti-social behaviour, providing a safe environment for children to play “rather than them loitering within public places with no objectives or direction, leading to anti-social behaviour”.

She said: "This in turn will have a knock on effect enabling early intervention and support for young children and will hopefully reduce the risk of them going on to commit crime within the local area.

"I believe that the project will also help to safeguard the most vulnerable children within the community, as they will have a more informal relationship with staff working within the project, which in turn will result in them opening up in relation to any underlying problems that they are having at home."

For more information about the plans search the Council's planning portal with the reference 19/00684/FUL.