Schemes worth �383.486 million proposed for Combined Authority investment

Today's (Tuesday 5 June) meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee is being asked to back the addition of 10 new schemes with a combined completed value of �383.486 million to its Local Growth Fund and West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund programme.

Investment Committee members will be asked to support just over �4 million of work to progress their development as part of a forecast �130 million of Combined Authority funding.

Among the proposed schemes are a full-scale, �22.9 million, 400kph facility to test high-speed trains and high-speed rail infrastructure, an Inland Port at Stourton in Leeds and a Huddersfield Gateway project that would see substantial redevelopment of the town�s station area including a former goods shed and yard.

Cycle infrastructure

Eight cycle infrastructure projects totalling 19km, in Huddersfield�s town centre and at Cooper Bridge, in Leeds, on the Castleford-Wakefield Greenway, the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Shipley and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal from Slaithwaite are also among the 10 proposed schemes.

The planned Leeds City Centre Package would transform key areas of the city centre by the removal of general traffic by 2021. The scheme supports the creation of a world class gateway in City Square, the Leeds Station Integrated Masterplan and regeneration in the South Bank. The package of measures also includes Inner Ring Road capacity improvements at Armley Gyratory and on the M621 by 2022 to accommodate the displaced traffic.

Heritage

Plans to open up a number of sites in Halifax Town Centre for much-needed new housing, to develop three key heritage buildings in Bradford city centre and create a new south-east gateway to Wakefield city centre are also among the new schemes being presented to the meeting. Also, the possibility of creating around 2,500 additional parking spaces at 12 more rail stations across West Yorkshire will be investigated along with the development of City Region Enterprise Zones at 10 locations along the M62 corridor in the Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield districts.

Growth Deal

Cllr Peter Box, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee said: �In 2017/2018, we invested �150,428,410 of capital funding including �90.53 million of funding through the Leeds City Region Growth Deal.

"To ensure we keep up the momentum on delivering projects through our Local Growth Fund and West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund, and these 10 schemes would require an additional �125.2 million of Combined Authority funding.

�They are ambitious schemes designed to generate inclusive economic growth from which everyone across West Yorkshire and the City Region can benefit, and to improve our transport network to support that growth and connect people with jobs and training opportunities.�

The West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, and the Leeds City Region Growth Deal - a �1 billion package of Government investment through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.

The proposed schemes are:

Bradford City Centre Heritage Properties

The future of three Bradford city centre properties of major significance to Bradford�s industrial and commercial heritage would be assured through this �31.602 million scheme.

Redeveloping the three buildings would mean over 280 new housing units and 4,366 square metres of commercial business accommodation could be created by 2021, supporting further investment and increased residency in the city centre.

Cycling schemes

West Yorkshire already has some of the country�s leading, cycling infrastructure and �12.053 million of funding to add a further 19km of high-quality routes will help connect people to employment, education and training and complement other schemes as well as delivering the health and environmental benefits of enabling more people to engage in active travel. The eight projects are:

• Huddersfield Town Centre � providing important links between the train station, the university and the A62 Smart Corridor.
• Leeds-Liverpool Canal, Shipley � completes a key section of cycle network with improved links to Skipton and housing and employment sites across North Bradford.
• Leeds City Centre � connecting the east and west of the city to the cycle super-highway and improving connections with the emerging South Bank, education quarter and arena area.
• Leeds Elland Rd Cycle � connecting relatively disadvantaged populations in areas such as Beeston and Holbeck to employment and training within the city.
• Castleford-Wakefield Greenway Phase 4 � connects Castleford to opportunities and facilities within Wakefield while also passing through regeneration and housing sites along the river.
• Cooper Bridge Cycle Link � development of strategic link.
• Huddersfield Narrow Canal phase 2 � improvements from Milnsbridge to Slaithwaite into the town centre improving access to employment, the University and wider facilities.
• Leeds Dewsbury Road Cycle Route � connecting Hunslet South to the city centre, employment sites and education & training opportunities.

Enterprise Zones

Enterprise Zones are key to generating additional and inclusive economic growth and accelerating them through an additional �24.939 million funding for site feasibility, investigations and planning, onsite capital works and infrastructure, property and ancillary works will mean their considerable benefits are realised earlier.

External funding for the Calderdale�s Clifton scheme has been confirmed through the Department for Transport�s National Productivity Investment Fund.

Gateway to Huddersfield - Phase 1

Centred on the Huddersfield Rail Station and its surroundings, this �5.55 million scheme would improve passenger access to the station, create a new taxi hub off St George�s Square and provide local road improvements.

Later stages of the scheme could include new parking facilities, an extension to internal subways and the creation of new western entrance to the station.

Halifax Living Programme

The �764,000 Halifax Living Programme aims to open up sites in Halifax town centre for much needed housing development.

At Cow Green around 100 one- and two-bedroom town centre apartments, 30% of which would be offered as affordable homes, would be built on the site of a former multi-storey car park. And four sites at the town�s Eastern Gateway, including the Cripplegate area would see 300 new homes and some commercial premises constructed.

These schemes would support Calderdale Council�s vision to make Halifax a vibrant place to live.

HS2 testing facility

There are currently few high-speed rail testing facilities world-wide so developing them in the Leeds City Region would present a national and global opportunity as well as supporting the University of Leeds, University of Huddersfield, Network Rail and the Higher Education Funding Council�s plans to develop a High-Speed Railways and System Integration. The �22.88 million scheme would deliver world-leading test facilities that would enable the new Institute to test full-scale railway track structures such as embankments, preformed systems and ground stabilization technologies as well as a test track capable of testing full-scale rolling stock.

Leeds City Square

As well as creating a world class gateway to Leeds in City Square, it would complement plans to re-model its rail Station as a gateway hub integrating national, regional and local transport services with HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.

The package, which also involves remodelling Armley Gyratory, complements Highways England investment that increases capacity on the M621, would reduce city centre traffic and encourage more use of sustainable public transport as well as supporting the delivery of South Bank Leeds� significant numbers of new homes and new commercial floor space.

Leeds Inland Port

A new, �3.37 million wharf facility at Stourton in Leeds would make possible the transportation of non-perishable freight such as aggregates, timber, oil and steel from the Humber estuary into Leeds. Creating the 80-metre mooring could move 200,000 tonnes of freight from road to water after year one, resulting in reduced road congestion and the reduction of carbon emissions by 100 tonnes by the end of year three. Construction material for flagship schemes such as South Bank Leeds and HS2 could be brought into the city via the inland port.

Rail Park & Ride

Rail park & ride supports sustainable employment growth by connecting people with areas if job growth and training as well as encouraging increased rail usage. West Yorkshire already has a total of 5,000 rail park and ride spaces at its stations. Car park extensions have recently been completed at South Elmsall, and Fitzwilliam, work on another, at Mirfield, is underway and further schemes at Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Normanton, Shipley and Steeton & Silsden, could start over the next 12 to 18 months.

An additional �33.638 million of funding would mean up to 2,500 additional spaces could be created at 12 stations throughout West Yorkshire, including New Pudsey, with the successful purchase of third party land.

Wakefield City Centre South East Gateway

Flood protection, drainage, highways, land clearance and demolition works for the �41.55 million Wakefield City Centre South East Gateway scheme would support with the future development of Rutland Mills at Wakefield Waterfront and would open up over three hectares of development sites to market by facilitating

Over 80 new homes would be built by 2024 as a result of the scheme and the possibility of a 10-year housing development to the south side of Kirkgate railway bridge explored. Around 10,000 square metres of historic listed buildings would be restored or converted for retail, leisure, hotel, art gallery, conference space and employment use, and approaching 1,200 permanent and temporary construction jobs would be created.

Link to meeting agenda and papers

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