Background
Leeds is already a vibrant, liveable city and major cultural centre, offering its residents the best of both worlds when it comes to big city and rural life. It is regularly featured in rankings for being among the best places to live in the UK - a consistent presence in the North and Northeast category in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live list.
Already good rail links with Manchester and nearby towns and cities are set to be improved, with the new West Yorkshire Mass Transit System expected to offer significant enhancements to the internal public transport offering in Leeds and the surrounding area. A recent report predicts growth in the office, life science and retail sectors over the next decade with Leeds benefitting from a highly educated talent pool, competitive house prices and and an expected 10-year growth in disposable household income at more than 20%.
Ongoing and planned major regeneration projects in Leeds include the transformative £500 million South Bank redevelopment, the £350 million development of Kirkstall Road, the new shopping and student destination on the site of The Core, Grand Central Place replacing the former House of Fraser on Briggate, the British Library rejuvenation of Temple Works, Aire Park, Leeds City Square and two new railway stations at White Rose and Thorpe Park.
Leeds is a fairly young, increasingly diverse city, with those identifying as white decreasing from 85% to 79% between 2011 and 2021. In terms of social mobility, the West Yorkshire region, which includes Leeds, faces significant challenges. It is in the top quintile for childhood poverty, the lowest quintile for promising prospects and second lowest quintile for socio-cultural advantage.