£18m government cash boost for three Leeds regeneration projects

Leeds is to get more than  £18m from the government  for three regeneration projects to boost economic growth and recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
An  artist's impression of the proposed Sovereign Street Bridge over tghe River Aire  in Leeds.An  artist's impression of the proposed Sovereign Street Bridge over tghe River Aire  in Leeds.
An artist's impression of the proposed Sovereign Street Bridge over tghe River Aire in Leeds.

Leeds City Council will get £18.6m from the government’s Getting Building Fund to deliver the projects.

It was part of a successful £52.6 million bid made to the government by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, on behalf of the region and its five local authorities.

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A total of £8.6m will be spent on City Park to transform road space in the South Bank of Leeds into new green space and improved public realm as part of one of Europe’s largest regeneration programmes.

Temple Green Park and Ride.Temple Green Park and Ride.
Temple Green Park and Ride.

And £7.4m will go towards the Temple Green Park and Ride expansion in east Leeds and will be used to create 400 additional parking spaces.

A total of £2.6m will go on Holbeck Victorian Terrace Improvements to update older terraced homes in the Holbeck area with new roofing, doors and windows, along with external wall insulation.

The work at City Park will involve transforming road space at Meadow Lane and Crown Point Road into green space for pedestrians.

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It will include the closure of two pay-and-display car parks and conversion of 50,000 sq ft of highway land.

Leeds City Council said the scheme will provide safe bus, pedestrian and cycling connections through South Bank to an improved public space around the Corn Exchange and form part of the new City Park - the largest new city centre green space in the UK.

City Park will be delivered by Vastint and Leeds City Council at the former Tetley Brewery site.

The funding will help to enable the majority of the park to be complete ahead of the Leeds 2023 international cultural festival.

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The funding will also support installation of a new River Aire footbridge from Sovereign Square linking the park to Leeds Station.

The changes will improve access to the city centre for residents in surrounding neighbourhoods, visitors to Leeds as well as the 10,000 students who learn in South Bank’s school and colleges each day.

The project will also help accelerate new development, with as many as 1,400 homes and 5,000 new jobs expected to follow through related schemes, playing a key role in the city’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coun Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “We are delighted to receive this funding as it will allow us to press ahead with three shovel-ready schemes in Leeds.

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"These are all projects that will help reduce our city’s carbon impact and help the economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Securing this funding shows how quickly the council and the city can respond when the right financial support becomes available.”

Start dates are expected to be announced soon, with all works due to be complete by 2022.

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Thank you

Laura Collins

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