Vision outlines opportunity in south of Leeds city centre
THE Leeds Sustainable Development Group (LSDG) has highlighted the “tremendous” development potential for the south of Leeds city centre.
The LSDG has published a prospectus for delivering its vision for a new city centre community to the south of the river, which it has named the ‘New South Bank’ and has identified an area of some 210 acres (85 hectares) of vacant or under utilised sites.
It said this represents a significant opportunity for the city to provide a sustainable community, with opportunities for employment, education and entertainment within walking distance.
Earlier this year, plans for one of the largest free schools in the country were approved, in a deal which is hoped will bring an influx of investment in to the south of Leeds city centre. The new school, the Ruth Gorse Academy, is set to be a significant catalyst for this transformation of the area, as part of a mix of family housing, green park land, new employment and leisure facilities.
According to the group, Leeds is experiencing a shortage of housing, with a projected demand of 70,000 homes over the next 15 years. It is believed that there is capacity for 12,000 houses in the New South Bank. With some 8,000 of these being family dwellings, the LSDG said there is potential to reduce significantly the number of new homes needed to be built on green field sites on the outskirts of Leeds.
David Lumb, director of Leeds-based Architecture 519 and coordinator of the LSDG, said: “The southern part of Leeds City Centre between the River Aire and the motorways has tremendous development potential.
“There are already many city dwellers in their twenties and thirties who would like to have the opportunity to remain within the urban core to have a family, and we need to entice new long-term residents with families to move to this highly accessible area. Significant investment in social infrastructure such as schools, health centres and community facilities would enable the creation of a sustainable urban community in this area.
“There are compelling reasons why it would make sense for Leeds to take advantage of what is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The LSDG has started to deliver the first part of a City Park by promoting The Stray in partnership with SUSTRANS. A successful application for funding from the DfE, in partnership with The Gorse Academies Trust, means plans are moving forward for a new secondary school.”
The LSDG said it is responding to the Leeds City Council aim for Leeds to be the ‘Best City in the UK’ in the period 2011 to 2030 while helping to relieve pressure for new housing to be built on greenfield sites on its periphery.
Lumb added: “Our intention is to encourage effective public/private/third sector initiatives to contribute to the delivery of the long term ‘Best City’ vision for Leeds working in partnership with Leeds City Council and Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and to fully respond to the opportunity for Leeds to transform its city centre into a ground-breaking sustainable urban community taking inspiration from the many excellent examples of urban regeneration currently being delivered in cities throughout Europe.”
Project Space Leeds took the decision three years ago to come to the South Bank in order to create The Tetley, a new centre for contemporary art and learning due to open on next month in the former brewery headquarters.
Kerry Harker, co-founder and director of The Tetley, said: “We fully support LSDG’s vision for Leeds City Centre South and are excited about the huge opportunity this area represents for Leeds. Our hope is that The Tetley will be a key landmark on the South Bank for years to come.”
Peter Connolly, landowner and developer with interests in the New South Bank area, said: “The scale and opportunity of the LSDG’s New South Bank vision really does provide the chance for us to be daring and provide a whole new landscape for the city of Leeds.”
Dr Kevin Grady, director of Leeds Civic Trust, added: “We greatly welcome the Vision for Leeds City Centre South produced by LSDG. The sustainable regeneration of this area can deliver so many of the objectives to which Leeds aspires to make it ‘best city’.
“Leeds can achieve a world-wide reputation for sustainable living, health innovation and high tech industry here. We need all sectors of the city to work together intensively on this transformational project. It can deliver quick wins now within the context of achieving a long-term plan which will put Leeds on the map.
“No other important big city in the country has the great asset of such a large area of readily accessible, developable land immediately south of its prime shopping and commercial core, with immediate access to its railway station and other public transport.”
