Forge rail station approved but link may have long wait for cash

Planners at Leeds Council have granted permission for the station, in the Kirkstall Valley, which form part of a regeneration plan to create over 1,000 homes at the former industrial site, a 56-acre piece of land bordering the A65 Leeds-Ilkley road, the River Aire and the Leeds-Liverpool canal.

Developer Commercial Estate Group (CEG), the company behind the regeneration plan for Kirkstall Forge, has a masterplan for 1,045 homes, shops, bars, restaurants and offices. The company's transformation project has previously been delayed by the economic downturn, which led to some revisions to the original plan.

Developers originally proposed 1,355 homes, including town houses and apartments, but that figure was later reduced.

The new railway station, on the Leeds to Shipley line, will include two lift towers and a bridge to connect both platforms. Both platforms will be fully accessible by lift.

Secure storage for cycles, as well as CCTV cameras, will also be installed. It is hoped the new station will ease congestion on the busy A65.

A report to the council's planning committee said there would be open access from the Kirkstall Forge development onto the platforms, which will be covered with a blazed canopy.

It has been estimated that about 1,120 passengers a day will use the station in 2016, which could increase to around 1,400 a day by 2016.

Initially, Kirkstall Forge will be served half-hourly in each direction by trains operating between Leeds, Shipley and Bradford Forster Square. Commercial Estate Group has provided 4m towards the cost of the station.

The company envisages the station will serve the communities of Kirkstall, the southern end of Horsforth and the Bramley Falls area.

Chairman of Metro, the passenger transport executive for West Yorkshire, Coun Ryk Downes, said: "A new station at Kirkstall Forge is a key element in reducing congestion along a busy road corridor into Leeds, and I am glad that Leeds City Council has now given the project planning permission.

"Metro has worked closely with Network Rail, Northern, Leeds City Council and site developer CEG, which is contributing 4m to the larger 23.24m rail growth scheme, so it is important that we now ensure that the Government gives the scheme the go-ahead so this private sector funding is not lost."

Charles Johnson from CEG said: "The new railway station will mean that Kirkstall Forge will only be a six minute journey from Leeds city centre.

"This, together with the riverside frontage and facilities such as a gym, crche, hotel, restaurants and bars makes it an ideal location for residents and businesses to locate."

But public funding for the rail scheme could be hit by the coalition Government's spending cuts. The Kirkstall Forge station plan is among several schemes where a funding decision has been delayed pending a review of overall Government spending.

Kirkstall Forge was established by monks who founded Kirkstall Abbey in 1152 and opened the forge in about 1200.

In the 20th century the modern Kirkstall Forge made heavy axles for lorries and for military vehicles such as tanks. It it closed in 2002.