Opportunities for local people to see latest East Leeds housing and transport proposals

Leeds residents and businesses owners will be able to have their say on one of the city’s largest transport and housing programmes from next week. A series of drop in events and special pages on Leeds City Council’s website will provide details of plans for the East Leeds Orbital Road (ELOR) and the longer term development of the East Leeds Extension prior to formal consultation later in the year.

The council’s planning application provides a first stage in enabling the housing developments to come forward and the scheme will also see major new road infrastructure with green space, cycling and pedestrian facilities to support the development of around 5,000 new homes.

Design, planning and consultation for the scheme over the last four years have been followed by the council’s Executive Board approving use of compulsory purchase procedures to ensure that all of the land and property needed to construct ELOR and to ensure it integrates effectively with the local area can be assured.

Advance improvement works are planned to start in 2018 on the A6120 Outer Ring Road at key junctions through Moortown and Roundhay in preparation for the ELOR scheme. This will be followed by improvements for pedestrians and cyclists on the ring road through Seacroft and Crossgates in a total a package of measures estimated at over £126m.

A series of events where local people will be able to see plans and a virtual model of the ELOR scheme at:

• Wellington Hill Residents Association on Mon 24 July from 15.30 – 18.30
• Crossgates Methodist Church Hall on Tue 25 July from 15.30 – 20.00
• Fieldhead Carr Community Centre on Wed 26 July from 15.30 – 20.00
• Scholes Saint Philips Church on Thur 27 July from 15.30 – 20.00
• Swarcliffe Community Centre on Fri 28 July from 15.30 – 20.00
• Shadwell Library on Sat 29 July from 10.00-12.00

The ambitious programme forms a key part of the city’s targets for delivering new homes and supports the wider economic regeneration plans for this part of the city. The nearby Thorpe Park expansion is now underway, with new retail and leisure occupiers recently announced. Feasibility work has also started on a rail halt with potential Park and Ride facilities to serve the site.

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

“The East Leeds Extension is one of the city’s biggest projects and will bring jobs, homes and transport improvements. It will play a vital role in Leeds’s continued economic growth and success.

“The public consultation events in communities across east Leeds are a chance for people to see the final proposed detail of ELOR and to find out more information about how the proposed new neighbourhoods in the East Leeds Extension will come forward.

"The first stage of public consultation two years ago saw hundreds of comments submitted and considered as part of the design of the scheme. As we enter the next major phase of the programme we want to make sure local views on the planning application continue to be heard.”

Anyone unable to attend one of the meetings can go online at www.leeds.gov.uk/ele to see more information on the East Leeds Extension and the Council can be contacted on ele@leeds.gov.uk

Ends

Notes to Editors:

The East Leeds Extension is a large area of undeveloped land, extending over 250 hectares around the edge of Swarcliffe, Whinmoor and Crossgates, which has been identified for the development of around 5,000 homes. The development will require substantial new infrastructure, including a major new orbital road.

The planning application can be viewed and commented on via the Council’s Planning Portal using application reference 17/04351/FU at https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/online-applications