Park hopes for city centre site of failed ‘kissing towers’ plan

Leeds City Council has drawn up a planning blueprint to create a park on an area of land off Sovereign Street, behind Leeds City Station, which was to be the site of the axed “kissing towers” high rise development.

Council leaders have long had an ambition for more green space in the city centre, particularly since the growth in city centre flats over the last five years.

Other disused or under-used land in the centre will be for offices and other uses such as retail and leisure outlets and restaurants and bars.

The authority says the former Queens Hall site in Sovereign Street is a high profile development opportunity, close to the railway station and the waterfront. It is a prime area for regeneration and a key part of the council’s plans to deliver a new city centre park.

Now the authority wants people’s views on a draft planning statement which sets out their aspirations for the area and will help guide all future development on the site.

The council’s executive member responsible for city development, Richard Lewis, said: “Sovereign Street is a very exciting part of our vision for the city centre – a prime spot for regeneration with huge potential to attract jobs and investment to that part of the centre.

“We’ve published this draft document to give as many people as possible the opportunity to tell us what they think about the plans for this area and to open up a debate about how we can deliver the new city centre park.”

It is hoped that the design can help link together different areas of the city centre, by creating new paths linking the office and retail quarters to the north with the riverside area and beyond to the South Bank, Clarence Dock and Holbeck Urban Village.

At present the planning blueprint says the railway line in the city centre creates a “physical and visual barrier” which it is hoped can be overcome. Rail chiefs in the city have recently been given the go-ahead to create a new southern entrance at Leeds railway station. The Department for Transport agreed to make £12.4m available for the £14.4m scheme.

The planning brief says the development site is close to the new entrance and will benefit from the rail scheme.

Council chiefs hope to create the city centre park on the south bank of the River Aire.

People have until March 18 to comment on the Sovereign Street proposals. A final version of the Sovereign Street planning statement will then be produced and adopted later this year to be used as planning guidance for all future development at that site.

The £115m Criterion Place development, known as the “kissing towers” which was shelved in 2008 after it became a victim of the recession, would have included twin 47- and 29-storey towers.

Sovereign Street has been a temporary council-owned car park since the Queens Hall was demolished. The site was previously home to the Queen’s Hall, a tram depot-turned-concert venue, demolished in 1989.

Council bosses have long been pushing for public park. Plans were developed after the 2008 Leeds City Centre Vision Conference identified a need for green space by the River Aire.

In February 2009, councillors agreed to fund a £50,000 feasibility study. It is hoped cash from private developers would pay for any park.

The full planning statement is available from the council’s development inquiry centre at Leonardo Building, 2 Rossington Street, Leeds LS2 8HD. Alternatively people can contact 0113 222 4409 and request a copy, or e-mail [email protected]

The document can also be viewed by members of the public visiting the council’s website at www.leeds.gov.uk by searching for “Sovereign Street”.

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