Demolition near Newlay Bridge

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Tue 21 Aug, 2012 1:27 am

I noticed that at the bottom of Pollard Lane just before you cross Newlay Bridge the small wooded area to the left of the road is currently undergoing demolition, probably for some more of those godawful apartment buildings like they've built to the rear of the Abbey Inn.The area in question has a brick chimney and a number of underground WWII bunkers. I believe the chimney had been already half demolished as it appeared to have shrunk in height, and I would imagine the use of 360 degree excavators on the site will have collapsed the bunkers already. There is also a large concrete structure on the site, but I couldnt see that for the thick foliage. I've explored the site a few years ago, was it something like a cement works or something? Anyway by the time you read this it will most likely be long gone. Another piece of Secret Leeds history wiped off the map!

BarFly · Post by **BarFly** » Wed 22 Aug, 2012 2:18 am

I meant to go down today to try to take some photo's but the weather prevented me.What makes you think it's due for demolition, by the way? Last time I went down was around a month ago and I posted on the thread here, I noticed that the site looked much the same as the older posts.I'm not sure whether the chimney is smaller though, and some buildings missing. Seems that those changes occurred a couple of years ago or so though?

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Wed 22 Aug, 2012 11:09 am

Hi BarflyBelieve me, I dont think its due for demolition, I cycled passed last week and it was MID-DEMOLITION! The whole site is fenced off with 'DEMOLITION' signs and there are 360 degree excavators on site and men in flourescent clothing smashing the place up. I doubt you'd get access to the site even if you went down there. I can remember back in 2010 I spent a morning on the site with some friends and we built a small fire inside the bottom of the chimney with some fallen branches then when the blaze got going we chucked on some green foliage so we could see the white smoke coming out of the top of the wonderful old brick chimney. It still had a fantastic draw to it and somewhere I've got some photos of the fire and white smoke billowing from the top of the chimney stack. The bunkers were still there too but it was spring and they were full of water. Alas I doubt anyone will see this site again as it had been for the past few decades. I dont know what the demolition is for, there didnt appear to be any notices posted on lamposts detailing of forthcoming developments.

BJF · Post by **BJF** » Wed 22 Aug, 2012 11:34 am

There were excavators there when I went to the Abbey on Sunday night.

BarFly · Post by **BarFly** » Wed 22 Aug, 2012 1:09 pm

That is a shame, and seems to have happened suddenly.I've only been down a couple of times and sadly never with a camera as when I've planned on going down it's rained that day.

BarFly · Post by **BarFly** » Wed 29 Aug, 2012 3:13 pm

I meant to follow this up by confirming everything is gone on the site. I was there the other night and as far as I can tell the shelters have been filled in, the earthworks definitely suggest it.

jonleeds · Post by **jonleeds** » Mon 17 Sep, 2012 10:30 pm

I cycled past the site for the first time since my last post and I can confirm that the site has been entirely cleared. Gone is that lovely old brick chimney, never to be seen again are those strange shaped subterranean corrugated bunkers and demolished too is the strange looking 'cement works' structure. It seems the site must have been purchased for development for more housing / flats such as have been built on the site of the old mill to the rear of the Abbey Inn. Many trees have also been chopped down to clear the site, and the ground has been levelled off. All the fencing which surrounded the site during the demolition has gone, but there is very little to see or explore now so its probably not important to have the place fenced off anymore. I guess within a few months new construction will have started. I wonder how long before the buildings that are about to be built become derelict and future Secret Leeds'ers are talking about them...? 100 - 200 years? Less...?