Have your say on vision for a vibrant New Briggate

People in Leeds are being asked to give their views on plans to transform the New Briggate area into a vibrant urban hub.

Members of the public will get the chance to have their say both online and at a series of on-street consultations, when council officers will be in the area next week.

The consultation will focus on proposals for a new regeneration vision for the New Briggate area that will look to boost the local economy, bringing vacant units back into use and attracting different types of businesses.

It will also look to improve streets around the area, with less clutter, improved crossings and better greenspaces at Merrion Gardens and St John’s churchyard.

Links to major nearby developments and attractions like Victoria Gate and the Arena Quarter would also be improved.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, said:

“The New Briggate area has the potential to play a pivotal role in the ongoing success of the city centre, both as a link to nearby developments and as a dynamic urban hub in its own right.

“We’ve already taken some big steps towards helping the area flourish and in turn that’s created a real buzz around what the future might hold for New Briggate.

“A number of new, high-quality businesses have recently been set up there and, with the pedestrianisation of Merrion Street, the night time economy in particular is now thriving like never before.

“Now the time is right to draw up a long term vision for the regeneration of New Briggate that will encourage further new investment and make the area an even more attractive place to work and visit at night and through the day.”

The on-street public consultation begins on New Briggate on Tuesday, June 21 from 11am until 2pm.

On Thursday, June 23, the consultation will move to the Grand Arcade and will be from 1pm until 4pm.

Then on Saturday, June 25, from 10am until 12pm, members of the public will once again be able to give their views to officers on New Briggate.

The council will also be putting a questionnaire online until Sunday, June 26.

The consultation comes ahead of a meeting of the council’s executive board, where senior councillors will consider a progress report on the regeneration of the area around Leeds Grand Theatre, which includes New Briggate.

The report, which will go before senior councillors on June 22, also recommends entering into negotiations for the sale of council-owned land at Belgrave Gardens.

At a previous meeting the executive board approved leasing the currently empty units at 34-40 New Briggate, located under The Grand and the Howard Assembly Rooms.

To read a full copy of the executive board report, please visit: http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/documents/s147340/Grand%20Quarter%20Cover%20Report%20130616.pdf

To complete the online survey about the regeneration of New Briggate and see interactive maps, please visit: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/Business/Pages/Town-and-district-centre-regeneration-2.aspx

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:

Stuart Robinson

Communications Officer

Leeds City Council

Tel: 0113 224 3937

Email: stuart.robinson@leeds.gov.uk

www.leeds.gov.uk