Major details of Leeds United Elland Road stadium expansion including 'South Leeds Mass Rapid Transit' link set to be unveiled

The full details of the project will be shared at an upcoming meeting of Leeds City Council’s executive board on April 23 and are set to include plans to transform the 30 acre site around the ground with the support of a Mass Rapid Transit link that will serve the southern area year-round.

A package of ambitious proposals will be shared, including an imminent application from Leeds United to increase the famous ground’s capacity to up to 56,500, a move that, if approved, would see it join the ranks of the nation’s elite sporting venues.

Land immediately surrounding the stadium is owned by Leeds City Council, meaning agreements will need to be in place between the council and the club before any expansion can begin.

A report to the executive board details the potential of the club’s upcoming application in the context of the wider Elland Road area, which comprises around 30 acres of council-owned land which could be transformed and regenerated, with billions of pounds of investment subsequently being unlocked.

With a potential Mass Rapid Transit link for south Leeds, the report outlines a unique opportunity for Elland Road to become a year-round destination that could give a huge boost to the local economy.

At the upcoming meeting, members will be asked to note the huge potential of the Elland Road regeneration project and to approve the start of legal agreements to dispose of council land to Leeds United Football Club, which would be needed for stadium enhancement.

The executive board will also be asked to approve that the council enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Leeds United’s development partner Lowy Family Group (LFG).

Members will be asked to consider an initial period of collaboration with LFG on the wider regeneration potential and strategy for the land around the stadium.

Members are also being asked to approve steps to refresh the council’s vision for the future regeneration of land adjacent to an expanded stadium, and to prepare for a future public consultation on the proposals, which will enable people in the area to have their say.

Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Elland Road and Leeds United are part of the heart and soul of the city, and the club deserves a stadium befitting of its special status and incredible fans.

“Naturally we’re keen to support this however we can, and to work closely with the club to ensure they are in the best possible position to achieve their ambitions and build a bigger, brighter future for the club, their supporters and sport in the city.

“From a wider perspective, the regeneration of the Elland Road area also represents one of the city’s most exciting development opportunities for a generation, which would revitalise a huge area of Leeds and potentially bring hundreds of millions of pounds into our local economy.

“Local residents will be fully consulted throughout the planning process and we’re keen to ensure their voices are heard and that they get the chance to inform the project at each stage.

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“We want to do all that we can to maximise this incredible opportunity and put everything we can in place, including our MoU with the club’s development partner LFG, to facilitate what could represent a genuine game changer for Leeds.”

As well as the stadium redevelopment, long term plans for the wider south Leeds area include the potential of British Library North at Temple Works, the Holbeck Sports Hub and Heart of Holbeck, which will include the renewal of the local high street, transformation of a local community centre and the delivery of improvements to traditional terraced homes.

These projects sit alongside existing economic hubs at the White Rose Shopping Centre and White Rose Park.

The council’s executive board will meet on April 23. For more details and to view a full copy of the report, click here.

READ MORE: Everything we know about Leeds United’s Elland Road expansion after new ‘planning application’ development revealed