South Bank a “catalyst” for infrastructure development

CONSULTATIONS have begun on plans to effectively double the size of Leeds city centre with the South Bank development, which Councillor Judith Blake said could be a “catalyst” to major infrastructure decisions.

Plans for leisure, events and recreation space tie in nicely with Leeds’ bid for the European Capital of Culture title in 2023 and Councillor Blake said that Burberry’s move to Leeds, high speed rail and the Yorkshire Hub at Leeds City station mean that confidence in the area was high.

If plans go ahead it will create 35,000 jobs and allow 4,000 homes to be built, say developers.

The consultation will continue until 15 November, seeking the views of the public on the proposals.

“People are looking at Leeds with a new confidence,” said Councillor Blake, speaking to TheBusinessDesk.com at the launch of the consultation.

“Schemes like South Bank are the catalyst we need to sort out infrastructure in the city as a whole.”

Recent plans to introduce a trolleybus scheme to Leeds were scuppered by central Government earlier this year, and plans to improve connectivity to Leeds Bradford Airport proved “unachievable.”

However Councillor Blake said at the launch of the consultation that the authorities still have £173m to look at options in the short term for an intracity transport scheme.

She also said: “For a scheme like South Bank, a fundamental rethink of the road system going through Leeds centre is needed.”

“We know we’ve got major challenges,” she said, “but I think the fact that so many people are keen to invest here is absolutely the catalyst we need to make some of these big decisions about our future needs.

“Responses to the consultation we’ve launched today will show people there is opportunity to create a new way of city living.”

Councillor Blake said that Leeds had never attracted or needed structural EU funding like other places, but she did say that leaving the EU was an opportunity to explore other relationships worldwide.

She said: “A city like Leeds has relationships all over the world. We have already had people coming to us, such as Commonwealth countries looking at how they can reconnect more with cities in the UK. It’s early days yet but we can’t let it get in the way. Schemes like South Bank are too important; there are too many jobs and people who have built their lives around the city of leeds.

“We have to look at different relationships with people globally. We have the longest established twinning with a city in China, we led the way in that respect, Leeds leads after all!”

Drop in sessions will be held over the coming weeks. For more information and to take the survey, click here .