THE PROFILE and confidence generated by the Tour de France’s Grand Depart from Yorkshire, the transformational retail development in Leeds city centre, and the return of speculative developments to create the capacity for future growth are just three of the landmark events and changes that have created a ferment of possibilities across the city region.
But for Roger Marsh, that recent past is merely the prologue to the story he wants to create. The chairman of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is certain that the last two years have merely created the foundations on which the city region can build its future.
“It has been momentous, the last 24 months, and it has been a privilege to be part of it,” he said.
“But for me it is job begun. we have put the building blocks in place to ensure that all of the parties – private and public sector – but particularly led and influenced, but not exclusively so, by the private sector, that would continue the road to delivering what is absolutely necessary.
“I am interested in that momentum point, to ensure we keep it up and stay ahead of the game.”
Managing director of Radio Design, Eric Hawthorn, who combines his day job with providing a private sector voice for the LEP, added: “Leeds City Region was formed over 10 years ago so different municipalities were getting together and saying there are some areas of common interest here. It may have been more exclusively around housing and transport, now it’s really about the economy for the region and how we move it forward.
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