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LEEDS' LEFT BANK
1. Problem Inner NW Leeds is an Area with problems
at both ends, and also in the middle.
# The centre of Inner NW Leeds has the reputation of a leafy suburb,
but in truth, it is devastated by demographic imbalance: the majority
of the population changes every year.
# This imbalance undermines the sustainability of the Area. Social,
environmental & economic problems have risen, but the social capital
(or community spirit) which might contain them has declined. More
particularly, the Area has witnessed an exodus of long-term residents.
# The central Area needs to be re-balanced. Reorientation of the
transient population is being addressed. What is also needed is
in-migration of long-term residents. Such residents need to be attracted
to the Area.
2. Possibilities
(a) Literally, the Area as a whole is situated on the left bank
of Leeds' river, the Aire. To the south, it is bounded essentially
by the river, and other valley routes, road, canal, railway. To
the north, Headingley Lane was formerly the Otley Turnpike, running
along the crest of the ridge over Woodhouse Moor and Headingley
Hill. Between these routes, the land slopes upwards from the River
to the Lane - and this slope is literally the left bank of the Aire.
(b) Figuratively, the Area could also be characterised as the 'Left
Bank' of Leeds.
# The Area extends from the Education Quarter of the city, along
the A660 (the new Supertram route) to Lawnswood fields, and along
Kirkstall Road (potentially a revamped, tree-lined boulevard) to
the planned Kirkstall Valley Park.
# The Area hosts the main campuses of both the city's universities,
Leeds University and Leeds Met (and also Park Lane College and Swarthmore).
# The Area is home to students (in fact, too many, causing the imbalance).
But it could also provide for the universities' own staff, as well
as the many professionals attracted to Leeds.
# The Area is rich in the city's heritage - the Shire Oak, Kirkstall
Abbey, Kirkstall Forge (the Industrial Museum - almost).
# The Area's communities stage regular festivals every summer, Kirkstall
Festival (July), Unity Day (August), Celebrate Headingley (September),
as well as events like the West Park Fun Day.
# The Area is home to Leeds' oldest (suburban) cinemas, Hyde Park,
Lounge, Cottage Road (as well as the Vue).
# The Area is famous inter/nationally for rugby and cricket at Headingley
Stadium.
# The Area includes many distinctive neighbourhoods - Far Headingley
Village, Headingley Town Centre, Kirkstall Village, the bohemian
plots of Burley, the Georgian Squares of Little Woodhouse, and so
on.
(c) Inner NW Leeds therefore shares many features with the Left
Bank in Paris: it is on the rive gauche (naturally); it is
the city's centre for higher education, and is home to students
and academics; it has a 'bohemian' flavour, attracting writers,
artists, musicians; it has a rich history and an interesting present.
3. Proposal Leeds HMO Lobby proposes -
# That the Area Delivery Plan characterises Inner NW Leeds as Leeds'
Left Bank.
# That the Area Committee encourages and promotes projects and developments
which reinforce this vision of the Area - arts festivals, for instance.
# That the Area Committee seeks support for this vision from other
stakeholders in the Area, especially the universities.
Leeds HMO Lobby
1 November 2004
LEEDS’ LEFT BANK
Strategy & Action Plan
Strategy
The aim of the Strategy is to promote Inner NW Leeds as the Left
Bank of Leeds.
The objectives of the Strategy are fivefold –
# to develop a sustainable balance between long-term and student
residents;
# to maintain & enhance the built & natural environment
heritage;
# to promote creative and diverse enterprise in the Area;
# to optimise the Area’s cultural resources, in all their
manifestations;
# to promote Leeds’ Left Bank locally, nationally and internationally.
Action Plan
The Action Plan comprises five main Strands, corresponding with
the Strategy’s five Objectives. The Plan is implemented in
annual Phases (Phase 0 comprises outcomes already achieved, Phase
1 comprises outcomes sought in the first year, Phase N comprises
outcomes sought in subsequent years).
A Social Restore demographic diversity where the
population is unbalanced; Extend cultural diversity.
Phase 0 Area of Housing Mix, Headingley
Renaissance, Local Community Associations
Phase 1 HDT Housing in Headingley Project
- Research Project begun, Estate Agency established
Phase N LDF Area Action Plan, Additional HMO Licensing,
HDT Housing in Headingley Project - market intervention
B Environmental Conserve quality of built environment;
Regenerate greenspaces; Promote iconic landmarks.
Phase 0 Far Headingley NDS, Unipol
Garden Awards, Open Gardens, Kirkstall Abbey, Headingley Stadium
Phase 1 Headingley NDS begun, Woodhouse Moor regeneration
begun
Phase N Other NDS, Kirkstall Road Boulevard, Kirkstall
Valley Park, Parks regeneration, Woodhouse Windmill
C Economic Encourage creative enterprise; Promote
retail diversity.
Phase 1 HDT Yorks Deli Market established
Phase N HDT HEART
D Cultural Support community initiatives; Exploit
cultural capital of the universities; Capitalise on the sporting
profile of Headingley.
Phase 0 Headingley Renaissance,
Three Summer Festivals, HDT Cafe Scientifique, Cottage Road Cinema
Phase 1 HDT Headingley Primary School (HEART)
established, Cardigan Triangle Art Day
E Promotional Provide information resource; Publish
info on Leeds Left Bank; Disseminate news on Leeds Left Bank.
Phase 0 Headway (quarterly
newsletter), Heal Headingley website
Phase 1 HDT Headingley Website, Leeds, Live it,
Love it page, HDT Calendar (annual)
Phase N Leeds Left Bank PR agency
Abbreviations HEART = Headingley
Enterprise & Arts Centre, HDT = Headingley Development Trust,
HMO = House in Multiple Occupation, LDF = Local Development Framework,
NDS = Neighbourhood Design Statement.
Left Bank Partnership The Strategy and Action
Plan are part of the NW District Plan, and are overseen by a Left
Bank Partnership comprising public sector agencies like the Inner
NW Area Committee, the universities and Marketing Leeds, and also
partners from the private sector (eg Headingley Stadium) and from
the 'third sector' (eg Headingley Development Trust).
Leeds HMO Lobby; July, revised October 2006
Leeds HMO Lobby
email: hmolobby@hotmail.com
website: www.hmolobby.org.uk/leeds
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