Leeds pushes ahead with plans for ‘super casino’

The city council was granted permission in 2008 to award a “large casino premises” licence to an operator.

Council officers have been working behind the scenes on the application process.

Senior councillors are expected to discuss the plans in detail by the end of the year.

The council has the power to veto any future applications if councillors decide that the proposals will not bring the desired benefits to the city.

Would-be casino operators will have to show how the business will benefit the city in social and economic terms.

They will also have to spell out how they will deal with any “negative social impacts”, according to a council report.

At a meeting today, members of the authority’s licensing committee will hear about the timetable that could see a large-scale casino come to the city.

It is expected that the application process will be advertised in February.

By June, the applicants will be expected to submit information which demonstrates how their application “would be likely to result in the greatest benefit to the council’s area”.

An initial review of applications will be carried out in August and applicants will be expected to submit a “final and best application” in November.

A special advisory panel will be established to deal with applications but it will be independent of the decision-making process. Most of the major decisions will be taken in December next year. Members of the licensing committee will select their preferred application and a licence could be granted in the same month.

Previously, experts have predicted that the Leeds casino scheme could create about 700 jobs and bring in more than £20m of private sector investment.

Details of any proposed locations are expected at a later date.

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