£60m bid to double Leeds city centre living announced

A new £60m bid to double the size of Leeds city centre living and improve connectivity has been announced.

With demand for housing in the city centre growing, Leeds City Council has finalised its bid for investment from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) as part of the Leeds Living initiative.

If successful, the investment from HIF would improve connectivity for communities throughout the city by developing bridges over highways and waterways, realigning roads to improve cycling and pedestrian access.

The investment would also be used to create new affordable housing, develop sustainable residential and mixed-use areas, and transform the city centre from an industrial car-dominated area into an accessible urban environment.

Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council explained: “The Housing Infrastructure Fund bid forms part of our ambitious, city-wide investment plans for new housing – but we can only build more city centre homes if we improve connectivity and stitch the new homes into the fabric of our city.

“Our communities, their aspirations and quality of life, are a focal point within our overall city vision. A healthy and functioning city centre housing market will support the provision of new shared amenities including schools, health facilities, and new public open spaces for leisure and recreation.”