Re-imagining Leeds Eastside
Helping to make Leeds a more liveable, people-friendly place
What is Liveable Leeds?
Eastside site area (from ‘Eastside Vision’ by Urban Wilderness. 2023)
Liveable Leeds is an exciting community engagement project focused on re-imagining the ‘Eastside’ of Leeds City Centre, facilitated by the Leeds Civic Trust. The project responds to the question: ‘How do we make the Eastside area more ‘liveable’, in the context of the Declaration of a Climate Emergency by Leeds City Council and projected population increase?’
Where is Eastside?
The Eastside area is located next to Kirkgate Market and Leeds Bus Station, extending up towards Mabgate. The A64(M) York Road and March Lane define the Eastside to the north and east.
The area includes Leeds Minster, Leeds City College Campus, Leeds Playhouse and Leeds Conservatoire. As well as cultural venues and educational institutes, Eastside has a wide mix of uses, including hotels and major offices. It is also an important residential area with many flats and student apartments.
The Story So Far
The What IF Soundwalk (by Hannah Beard and Alex de Little, 2021) culminated in a billboard on the A61 Roundabout which displayed a collage artwork of a ‘collective vision’ for the site.
2019. Area Identification. The Leeds Civic Trust ‘Transport & Liveable Leeds’ group identified the Eastside of the city centre as an area dominated by roads which could be transformed. The Trust then hosted a stakeholder consultation event at Leeds Playhouse to share the concept of a public competition.
2020-1. ‘Liveable Leeds’ Competition & What IF Sound Walk. Leeds Civic Trust launched a public competition to encourage design ideas about how key areas of our city can be improved, inspired by their Transport Vision. Winners Hannah Beard (Urban Wilderness) and Alex De Little (Sound Artist) conducted a series of community engagement workshops to create an immersive sound walk through Eastside. View the entries here.
2022. Draft Framework Document. Leeds Civic Trust launched a draft framework document relating to Leeds City Council’s vision and policies set out within the emerging Local Plan 2040, informed by the competition entries and additional stakeholder meetings. Read about the framework here.
2023. Eastside Vision. The Trust commissioned landscape architects Urban Wilderness to create the Eastside Vision document to present a further site analysis, community engagement exercise and design development which builds upon the Draft SPD and competition. Read about the vision here.
