Exclusive:Elland Road redevelopment exclusive: new image shows overall Leeds United stadium expansion site plan

This shows the redeveloped North and West stands, which are set to increase the stadium capacity from 37,645 to a huge 53,000, making it the seventh-largest ground in England.

Borussia Dortmund’s iconic Westfalenstadion, with its Yellow Wall, was used as the inspiration, as well as the wider site involving fan zones.

Earlier in the year the Whites received planning permission, with the project hopefully completed in 2030.

Elland Road will remain open while the redevelopment is going on, with building work already starting around the ground.

However, now the Lowy Family Group, the club’s development partner which is run by Leeds United director Peter Lowy, has shared a new image of the overall site plan.

Mass transit

This includes prospective plans for the long-awaited mass transit network to better connect the stadium with the city centre.

On Tuesday, LFG will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and Leeds City Council, committing to working together to transform the site around Elland Road.

This will focus on building the tram network to make it easier for fans to get to the expanded stadium.

The station pictured in the image is an illustration of how it could fit in with Elland Road, as pre-development work is not able to start until later in the year if the Government approves Ms Brabin’s strategic outline case.

Spades are due to be in the ground from 2028, with the first trams running in the late 2030s.

Wider redevelopment

There are also plans to build 2,500 homes around the stadium, as part of the wider redevelopment, which LFG says would include family and affordable housing.

There will also be new workspaces, hotels, shops, cafes and community facilities, which will bring thousands of jobs to Leeds.

A forecast has indicated the project, one of the biggest sporting developments in the country, could generate around £29m for the Leeds City Region economy.

Mr Lowy’s group built the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, east London, as part of the Olympic regeneration of the area, so has lots of experience with major redevelopment projects.

Reduction in car use

Planning documents from Leeds United’s application for the Elland Road expansion to the council, indicate the club wants to significantly reduce the number of supporters arriving at the ground by car.

Currently, almost two-thirds (64.5 per cent) of supporters come to games by car, with around 6,000 vehicles parked on nearby streets. But it is intended that little more than one-quarter of supporters will arrive at the stadium by car in future.

A council report revealed it is intended to reduce this to 30.5 per cent ahead of the reopening of the expanded West Stand and to 27.5 per cent once that phase of the stadium expansion is complete.

It said it is intended there will be “no increase” in the level of on-street parking when the stadium capacity increases. It said that if increases in on-street parking are recorded it is possible resident-only parking zones will be introduced, funded by £500,000 from Leeds United.

In terms of alternative transport arrangements, the report said shuttle buses are due to run from the yet-to-open White Rose railway station while it is anticipated there will be a “large increase” in supporters either walking or catching buses from Leeds railway station, which is two miles from the ground.

The plan suggests the number of supporters travelling by rail will double. This makes the mass transit proposal absolutely key to getting supporters to the ground.

New York inspiration

There are also reports that Leeds United is looking to create a walkway connecting the city centre to Elland Road on the Holbeck Viaduct, in the style of New York’s High Line.

The High Line, a 1.45-mile long elevated linear park, greenway and rail trail, is a major tourist attraction in the United States.

Significant funding is said to be in place for a version in West Yorkshire, with the aim reportedly be to resemble Wembley Way for thousands walking down to the game.

A redevelopment of such scale would also provide the South Leeds area with a stronger connection to the city centre. MailOnline says a formal planning application will be submitted.