New ‘city village’ proposed for Leeds

Property firm Rushbond has submitted plans for a major new development on the site of a former train station in Leeds.

The plans include over 1,000 new homes as well as commercial and leisure space on the former Marsh Lane Goods Yard, which sits between Marsh Lane and Shannon Street, on the East Side of Leeds’ City Centre.

The scheme has been designed by Leeds-based Brewster Bye Architects, whilst the Leeds office of Lichfields are the planning consultants and agent on the application.

The project is called Leeds City Village and will run alongside Rushbond’s other projects in the city which include the regeneration of Kirkgate District, including the Corn Exchange and First White Cloth Hall, as well as the refurbished Majestic building which will house Channel 4 when they move to the city.

Mark Finch, from Rushbond, said: ‘Leeds City Village is a major opportunity to deliver high-quality new homes that will appeal to all demographics and meet the needs of an ever-evolving and rapidly growing city.

‘It will also expand the city centre, drive further regeneration in the area and crucially connect the site’s neighbouring residential communities to both the Kirkgate and Quarry Hill districts, which are both currently benefitting from significant investment across a number of high-profile projects.’

Last year NewStart met Finch in Leeds and asked him what the word regeneration means to him.

‘The word I often use is revitalisation as regeneration can mean quite significant change,’ he said.

‘If you’re looking to regenerate an area, that suggests the area is failing and you need to come in with a bulldozer and change it. But that forgets that there are buildings and communities who have things of great value but have lost their way. Revitalising an area through careful interventions is perhaps a shift away from big-scale regeneration which said, “clear it and rebuild it”.’