Like so many other experts who have publicly expressed a view based on perception rather than facts and evidence, they have neglected to mention the expressed views of the vast majority of users of the city centre who appreciate and understand that the story of the city centre's renaissance is still incomplete.

Whilst it's true that the city centre has been extremely successful in attracting retail-led investment this should be a cause of celebration and signifying diversification and not, as claimed, 'gentrification'. The need for additional retail capacity in Leeds is widely recognised in the property section and the City Council has been making strenuous efforts through its partnerships to support this.

New shops supported by new and refurbished cultural facilities provided in a safe, clean environment is precisely what users of the city centre tell us they want and its precisely what we intend to deliver over the next five years as indicated in our City Centre Strategy 2006-2010.

Heritage

With regard to recent developments relating to the Corn Exchange, the academics bizarrely refer to changes proposed by Zurich Assurance as an 'own goal' for the Council seeking short-term cash.

This simply isn't the case. The long-term reason for the arrangement between the original leaseholders, Speciality Shops, 17 years ago was to protect the heritage of Leeds and more specifically to promote investment and secure a future for a building that would otherwise have been at risk.

That the arrangement lasted so long in the face of changing market fashions is testament to the soundness of the original vision.

It would appear, however, that the academics are simplistically stating that with hindsight we should have had foresight to anticipate market shifts occurring almost two decades later.

By simply jumping to conclusions the academics are not only ignoring the broader and acknow-ledged successes of the city centre they are also sending a message of hostility to new investors in the city before they (the new investors) have even had a chance to explain their proposals.

A more reasoned approach is required, based on evidence and taking into account the broader story of the economic, cultural and social needs of the city centre. That is why the City Council has organised a major conference to play a key part in shaping the future of Leeds City Centre in January 2008.

It is also the reason why we can quite clearly say that regarding Kirkgate Market there are no 'tabled plans' for its regeneration.

Indeed, the Council is just about to commence public consultation on the shape of any future regeneration of the Market.

Investment

The Market needs over £20m of investment and the public will be asked if it is happy to consider some peripheral development of the site to fund the Market's refurbishment. The consultation document makes it clear that the Market will remain broadly of its current size and that it will remain the dominant feature of any redevelopment. The Council also gives a firm commitment in this document that the management of the Market will remain in-house.

In the current economic uncertainty traders are facing difficult challenges to attract and retain investor confidence. The city council is making its best efforts to support their work. However, nobody much benefits from unsubstantiated criticisms thrown from the academic sidelines.

COUN Andrew Carter, Leeds City Council leader and executive member with responsibility for development and regeneration