Council chiefs have agreed to hand over the former school on Bennett Roaad to the Headingley Development Trust (HDT) on a long-term lease at a peppercorn rent.

The council had considered selling the site for development but months of campaigning has prompted a change of heart.

Under the new proposal, Headingley Community Centre will be sold off and its functions switched to the trust's Headingley Enterprise and Arts Centre (HEART).

Members of the council's Executive Board yesterday approved the handover and today the trust submitted an application to the Government's Community Asset Fund for a grant to help refurbish the former school.

The HDT was established two years ago and now has more than 700 members. It has already set up a monthly deli market and supported the community buy-out of the local wholefood store.

Now its efforts to persuade the council to keep the school in community use has paid off.

Mr Richard Norton, trust chairman, said: "This is a dream come true. We have been able to work with the council to produce a plan which will put the heart back into Headingley."

HDT plans to make the buildings on Bennett Road into an exemplary 'green' building, making them as close to carbon-neutral as possible.

The upper floor will provide networking and office space for new businesses, leaving most of the ground floor for community use.

Liberal Democrat councillors have welcomed the new proposals.

Coun Martin Hamilton (Lib Dem, Headingley) said: "The proposals we have put forward allow the future of the school building to be safeguarded and allow for what is effectively a new community centre for Headingley to be developed and run by the community."

Coun James Monaghan (Lib Dem, Headingley), who chairs the council's Inner North West Area Committee, said: "The area committee has agreed to support the new centre by providing a grant of £100k towards the building, and we very much believe that this is the way forward."

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