Hundreds of people from all walks of life gathered at Leeds University of Leeds last week to share their views on positive and negative aspects of the city centre.

The forum was entitled Leeds: Are we going in the right direction? and was organised by 14 academics from the University of Leeds and Leeds Met who are so concerned about the "gentrification" of the city – a process which forces poorer people out in favour of the wealthy – that they wrote an open letter about it to Leeds City Council.

The city specialists were inspired by the Yorkshire Evening Post's City at the Crossroads series which looked at Leeds's achievements and failings and what its goals should be.

Dr Paul Chatterton, Urban Cultures and Consumption Research Group, University of Leeds, said he was pleased with the turn-out at the university's Rupert Beckett lecture theatre.

He said: "I think it shows the passion of people's desire to participate in the future of the city."

Key topics raised at the meeting, chaired by Andrew Edwards of BBC Radio Leeds, included complaints about lack of affordable housing and transport issues. There was praise for the historic architecture, the quality of independent shops, pubs and cafes and the city centre's compact, "walkable" nature.

But there were worries that Kirkgate Market – once regarded as a jewel in the city's crown – was not promoted properly and was losing its appeal; plus grievances about the failure to utilise riverside land as public areas; lack of green space and trees; lack of evening activities that did not involve drinking; and failure to properly consult people on important changes such as the closure of Leeds International Pool.

Proposed improvements included building an arena; introducing a congestion charge and ring-fencing cash for public transport improvements.

The organisers said details of everything discussed would be passed to the council. They said in their letter to the council they were concerned about many of the changes taking place in the city, citing the traders being kicked out of the Corn Exchange so it could be turned into an upmarket food emporium, and the proposed refurbishment of Kirkgate Market – fearing it could price many stallholders out of existence.

Council leader Coun Andrew Carter, executive member with responsibility for development and regeneration, responded by saying they had their facts wrong. He added: "Nobody much benefits from unsubstantiated criticisms thrown from the academic sidelines."

More talks are planned for the next few months.

* Results of this debate will be posted at: www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/groups/leedsdirection