Ministers lay the groundwork for transformation of Leeds

“In Leeds we will – over the next decade – bring comprehensive regeneration to the city centre,” he said.

Ministers are set to champion West Yorkshire’s proposed mass transit system, following news that the study into the merits of bringing HS2 to Leeds would take two years.

The combined authority is expected to begin consulting next year about routes for the new transport system, with initial suggestions linking areas such as Hallifax, Otley and Pontefract to the region’s main towns and cities.

It is expected that the business case will involve housing, growth and investment as part of the push for it to be given the go-ahead.

Ministers on Tuesday announced that major infrastructure projects that deliver “tangible benefits to communities” are set to be fast-tracked under a shake-up of planning rules, which could include transport projects such as West Yorkshire’s mass transit system.

In addition, the coming months will likely see the announcement of an Investment Zone covering Leeds, focusing on health, and digital and technology sectors, with up to £80 million of investment earmarked by the Government.

Ministers have so far announced two investment zones this month. The first in Sheffield focuses on advanced manufacturing announced by the Treasury, and the second in Liverpool revolves around pharmaceutical companies.

The West Yorkshire investment zone is expected to cover Leeds, Bradford and Kirklees to be based around the region’s universities, with digital and health technology a specialty of the campuses.

Leeds Teaching Hospital and the basing of NHS Digital in the city have been touted to add to the case for making the region into a health and digital cluster in the coming years.

In addition, the UK's biggest single-site maternity centre, a new adult hospital, and new home for Leeds Children's Hospital are all set to open in the city.

In addition to existing schemes, ministers are also set to devolve further powers to Tracy Brabin, the mayor of West Yorkshire to support existing plans for economic growth and sustainable housing.

Ant Breach, Senior Analyst at Centre for Cities, said: “The commitment to building more homes in the city centre is a sign that the Government is breaking down one of the biggest obstacles to economic growth.

“City centres are really important for the national economy, and the Government understands that making it easier for people to live in places accessible to city centre jobs is key for local and national success.

“In a European city of a similar size to Leeds, Marseille for example, nearly three times as many residents can reach the city centre in 30 minutes by public transport.

“But only half of this gap is down to a lack of transport infrastructure – the other half is because the infrastructure Leeds does have mostly serves low-rise neighbourhoods where only a few people live in walking distance, compared to the mid-rise apartments you see in European cities close to transport.

“Building in urban cores around transport infrastructure is therefore good for the economy and the environment, but we need deeper change to the planning system to make it more certain and less risky to get lots of new homes in this way in Leeds and other cities too.”