Leeds City Council has completed a series of legal agreements that pave the
way for the massive East Leeds Link Road, providing an extra £10.5 million
of funding.Tenders are now being
invited for construction of the road and work is due to commence in
November this year, with the road due to open by October 2008.
The Link Road will link the city to the M1
motorway at the currently closed Junction 45 and
will provide much improved access to the 400 existing businesses in the Aire
Valley.
The council has already given planning
permission for major developments in the Aire Valley
but the development of these sites has always been dependant upon the Link
Road. The
proposed developments are expected to create up to 30,000 new jobs over the
next 10-15
years and offers one of the largest regeneration opportunities in the north
of England.
The legal agreements involving the council,
Yorkshire Forward as the Regional Development
Agency for Yorkshire & the Humber, and the three landowners Keyland
Developments Ltd, Skelton Business Park Ltd and the Trustees of Lord
Halifax’s Estate will provide the council
with the extra £10.5 million needed to deliver the £32 million road project.
Councillor Andrew Carter, executive board
member for development, said:
“It’s great news that all the pieces are
finally falling into place for the East Leeds Link Road.“
"The link road is one of the council’s
highest priorities. It is a key element in the region’s biggest regeneration
scheme, the Lower Aire Valley, and is one of the final pieces in the city’s
planned strategic highway network."
“It will create thousands of jobs, opening up
huge tracts of derelict land for commercial and industrial development. It
is extremely good news for this city.”
Download an earlier press release giving detailed information about the
scheme here
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