Changing Landscapes: Leeds South Bank

Sam Morrell from CityRise reflects on how the Leeds South Bank has changed over the years and how the regeneration project has transformed the area.

Transcript

00:00It's the former industrial heart of Leeds which will eventually see the city centre double in size.

00:06Signs of Leeds' traditional industries are still visible,

00:10but the Leeds Southbank regeneration is continuing to completely rejuvenate many areas.

00:15The aim is to make this a key destination for investment, living, learning and leisure.

00:20Sam Morrell from Holbeck-based CityRise has been reflecting on some of the changes.

00:24I've been here for about eight years now and during that eight years the transformation has been extraordinary,

00:32especially around the Southbank area, centred around Holbeck and Holbeck Urban Village

00:38and obviously stretching out towards Manor Road.

00:43Down the river obviously there's a huge amount of regeneration going on at Air Park

00:48and that will stretch all the way to the docks and it's not finished,

00:52it's not the finished article, but the transformation in the last five years has been quite something.

00:59Leeds has such a large amount of space now to grow into and create almost another city within it

01:05and I think that's going to be huge for the city and obviously people living here.

01:10This is Temple Works which is an extraordinary building.

01:14When it was built it was the largest room, single room in the world.

01:17It was an old factory.

01:19The owner of it styled it on Egyptian revival architecture.

01:25You could see the pillars there and the hieroglyphic signage at the top.

01:31Once this is complete it's going to be the British Library North

01:35and as you can see it's absolutely enormous.

01:39They're going to have a full-size running track on the roof

01:43and it's just going to be a cultural hub.

01:45Across the city we're getting these large apartment buildings

01:48which have been backed with hundreds and hundreds of millions of pounds

01:52and the developers are creating incredible spaces that people will want to live in

01:58and they will stand the test of time.

02:02So if you go down the canal you'll see a variety of PRS blocks being built.

02:07Monk Bridge where they've rescued the old viaduct

02:11and that's now almost like a park on top.

02:14It looks amazing and there are plans to go underneath the viaducts

02:17and create another area where there's going to be restaurants, bars, shops.

02:21We're at Tower Works here.

02:23As you can see it's a large development.

02:26About 500 apartments across both Tower Works and Mustard Wharf

02:30which was funded by Legal & General.

02:32They've restored the Italian 8 towers which they look fantastic

02:36and just add a little bit of a character to the development.

02:40Obviously where it's situated along the canal as well

02:43they've opened it up.

02:44There's commercial spaces.

02:45Long before I've ever been here the area was a no-go zone.

02:50Obviously it's night and day and this is an area of Leeds which people enjoy

02:55and I think a huge part of that is the connectivity to the city.