West Yorkshire Combined Authority sets out priority locations for regeneration and urban renewal

The Spatial Priority Areas (SPAs) agreed at today’s meeting of the Combined Authority will provide a consensus on the largest and most strategic opportunities in the region in order to achieved balanced growth across the area.

Alongside the city and town centres of Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield and Halifax, the new SPAs include areas for future investment, growth and environmental resilience across West Yorkshire as the region looks to its devolved future.

Coun Susan Hinchcliffe, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leader of Bradford Council, said: “As West Yorkshire becomes a Mayoral Combined Authority in 2021, it’s important that our future priorities for investment and growth reflect our region and the needs of our residents. Looking beyond the current pandemic to the recovery, the new Spatial Priority Areas reaffirm our commitment to building an inclusive economy that works for everyone.”

SPAs were first established in 2014 as part of the LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan as the largest and / or most strategic growth opportunities within Leeds City Region.

In consultation with partner Local Authorities and other groups, the Combined Authority undertook a review of the existing SPAs, which concluded they were no longer well-aligned to local plans and the Combined Authority’s evolving strategy for the region.

The new SPAs reflect the future of devolved funding and investment in West Yorkshire, as well as wider policy priorities including regeneration and urban renewal, and economic and environmental resilience.

This clearer focus on the strategic priorities underlying the region’s urban and rural areas will help when putting together bids for future funding opportunities, and with building the status and investor interest in key locations to support inclusive growth.

The new SPAs are also closely aligned to locations set to receive additional investment through the region’s £317 million allocation from Transforming Cities Fund, the £1 billion West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, and the £3.6 billion national Towns Fund.

The draft list of proposed SPAs (and relevant category) is as follows:

Core City: Leeds City Centre

Main Urban Centre: Bradford City Centre; Wakefield City Centre; Huddersfield Town Centre; Halifax Town Centre

Investment Location Mixed Use: Canal Road Corridor; Chidswell ~; East Leeds Extension; Aire Valley ; City Fields; Brighouse Garden Village (Including Clifton)*; Kirkstall Forge

Investment Location Employment: Langthwaite Grange Extension; North West Leeds Employment Hub; Newmarket; White Rose Office Park; Cooper Bridge*

Investment Location Housing: Castleford Growth Zone; Dewsbury Riverside Urban Extension ~; Crosland Moor; Bradley Garden Village*

Investment Location Regeneration: Shipley; Keighley; Dewsbury ~; Batley ~; Todmorden; Brighouse; Five Towns (Castleford, Normanton, Featherstone, Pontefract, Knottingley); Elland

Future Growth Location: Knottingley and Ferrybridge Growth Area; South Kirkby Urban Extension; Newmarket; Broad Cut Farm; Apperley Bridge / Esholt; Holme Wood

Environmental opportunity: Calder Valley

* Sites fall within the Garden Village Corridor SPA Cluster

~ Sites fall within the North Kirklees Growth Zone SPA Cluster