WATCH: Blueprints set out for ambitious £500m Leeds Station transformation

A range of key proposals to guide the remodelling of Leeds Station into a transport hub of international significance are to be discussed by senior councillors today (Wednesday 18 October).

A report to be discussed by Leeds City Council’s executive board proposes a set of principles to act as a blueprint of the station redevelopment masterplan.

It will aim to make the station an integrated transport hub, boosting regional connectivity and maximising the benefits of high-speed HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail services for Leeds and the wider region.

Leeds Station is already the busiest transport hub in the north of England, and the overall aims set out for its future are for it to be: A world-class hub featuring quality architecture and design; a distinctive gateway into Leeds and the wider region; a destination station being an attractive place to visit where the South Bank meets City Square and; a connected place where national, regional, and local transport services meet and are integrated together.

Key proposals

Among the elements proposed in the masterplan are:

• To create a station campus district for high-quality commercial, residential and leisure developments offering seamless access to and from the station

• Multiple entrance points, with City Square becoming predominantly public space, New Station Street to become pedestrianised with shared public space being extended onto Bishopgate Street

• Entrance points to and from South Bank, including creating a new pedestrian route similar in scale to Briggate connecting Temple Works and Leeds Dock

• A new central common concourse in the station connecting HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail and existing rail services, with an overbridge structure offering access to all other platforms

• Neville Street and the Dark Arches to be transformed into retail and leisure spaces

• A new footbridge at Bridgewater Road and improved pedestrian and cycling links across the River Aire

• Additional rail platforms to meet increases in demand

• Potential for a new roof to offer improve lighting across the station

• Access for all modes of transport, multiple pick-up and drop-off points, a priority focus on disabled provision in all areas, new car parking and a new cycling hub. It also includes flexibility in planning to incorporate a future mass or rapid-transit service for Leeds

Half a billion pound investment

The investment levels to implement the proposals in the report would be in excess of £500million.

Leader of Leeds City Council Councillor Judith Blake said:

“Leeds Station has a vital role to play in the future of our city and the wider region, boosting connectivity and being a key driver of social and economic improvement and opportunity.

“Aside from being a fully integrated transport hub, we want it to be a distinctive, attractive place people want to be and visit, with a clear identity as a welcoming gateway to our city and beyond. As a major asset for the city, region and the north as a whole, its potential must be maximised to become a catalyst for inward investment, job creation and to generate inclusive growth for the benefit of all.”

The report also looks at how to maximise the benefits of HS2 coming to Leeds and the wider city region. It proposes looking at how to improve connectivity and transport hubs across the region, improving access to employment opportunities and helping businesses generate growth from high-speed rail.

It also looks to create a network of public spaces and a new city park in the South Bank, transforming the waterfront and creating a welcoming environment for residents, businesses and visitors.

City bosses say the improvements will also provide a further boost to the economy of Leeds city centre, already the UK’s largest concentration of financial and professional services and digital jobs outside London.