First phase of landmark urban oasis nears completition

The first phase of the UK’s largest new city centre green space, Aire Park is nearing completion and will open in mid-April.

View of the Meadow Lane section of Aire Park due to open in April

The urban oasis which is described as changing the face of Leeds city centre is made up of a series of diverse and interconnected public areas covering eight acres of land including gardens on the former Tetley Brewery site.

The new green space will sit at the heart of a new mixed-use district which will include residential, office and retail spaces.

Alongside the update on the park, Vastint UK the developer behind the wider regeneration of the former Tetley site has also confirmed it has started work on the second phase of the park, which includes a large public events space and the first of the commercial buildings, both of which will open for use in 2023.

In total Vastint UK will deliver six acres of public park, 1,000,000 square feet of commercial space, 850 homes and retail and leisure facilities in the first phase of the Aire Park development.

The developments further add to the city’s development credentials with the city council highlighting that the city is riding “the crest of an infrastructure investment wave” following record levels of development in 2021.

View of the Aire Park site, looking west.

Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Aire Park will have a transformational effect on life in Leeds and it’s great to see how the plans are coming together thanks to significant investment by Vastint UK and help from other partners and stakeholders.

“Projects like this are testament to the strength of Leeds’s economy, as are the city’s recent record-breaking construction figures and investment successes such as the opening of the UK Infrastructure Bank, the arrival of Channel 4 and the new Leeds-based hub being planned by the Bank of England.

“The park will be a fantastic year-round attraction for people of all ages to enjoy and underlines our collective commitment to creating places and spaces that bring all our people together.

“Crucially, it should also act as an environmentally-friendly driver for regeneration and inclusive growth – and new homes, jobs and opportunities – as our economy bounces back from the effects of the pandemic.

“The Aire Park investment is a massive vote of confidence in Leeds and I am looking forward to watching the project continue to take shape over the coming months.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Green spaces are vital to our mental health, and often in short supply in town and city centres. That’s why I’m glad to see the plans for Aire Park coming together, bringing new recreational opportunities as well as redeveloping an existing brownfield site for new uses.”

Simon Schofield, construction lead for Vastint UK North, said: “We are incredibly excited to see the long-awaited vision for a city park in Leeds begin to come to life. We have been working closely with the city council on the design of Aire Park and are delighted to announce commencement of works on what will be a fantastic asset to the people of Leeds.

“Aire Park will be a truly mixed-use district for people in Leeds to live, work and visit, and we are looking forward to opening the first phases of our development to the public in 2023.”