In a year which has seen celebrated world-class organisations committing to Leeds, with some of the most exciting investment opportunities to ever come through the Region, one particular group has come forward to highlight, celebrate and evolve the key infrastructure that supports the growth of the City.
The Leeds Key to the North initiative comprises of public and private sector players to champion the redevelopment of Leeds Station and promote the plans for HS2 – set to break new ground for travel across the UK, transforming the connections between the country’s leading cities!
The enhancement of the station is central to the ambition for the Northern Powerhouse and to unlocking the true potential of the North – and represents a key dimension in Leeds’ Inclusive Growth Strategy. As Leeds’ economy continues to rapidly grow, it’s more important than ever that the City’s gateway is ready to cater for growth and support the needs of an ever-evolving working population.
After all, it’s no minor detail that Leeds is currently at the helm of a £69.6bn economy, supported by the 400,000 individuals that use Leeds Station every day – with an incredible 135% growth in visitors estimated over the next 25 years!
Recently, world-class organisations including Burberry, Channel 4 and Sky have made huge commitments to Leeds. The City is attracting some of the nation’s most celebrated brands, and it’s done so following fierce city-wide campaigning efforts from other UK-leading cities – a City that’s proving time and time again to be a true European competitor. In the 2019 EY Attractiveness Survey, Leeds was one of the top three UK cities outside of London for foreign direct investment.
Equally, Leeds successfully thrown its hat into the ring over recent years to position itself as a UK tourist hotspot. The City hosts over 29 million visitors per year, which generated an astounding £1.7bn for the economy in 2017.
This year alone, Leeds has hosted some of the most well-attended festivals in England – including the Leeds Digital Festival and Leeds International Festival – both of which have been catalysts to driving visitors through the City. And we can’t forget the outstanding sporting successes including the inspiring AJ Bell World Triathlon and the Cricket World Cup!
Leeds Station is at the heart of this growing economy and the ‘Key to the North’ campaign articulates the future plans and programmes to transform this key asset into a a world class gateway, reflecting the City’s pivotal place in the Northern Powerhouse.
Get in touch
If you’re thinking about relocating your business to Leeds or want to know more about Leeds Key to the North, get in touch with our agents Richard.Thornton@eu.jll.com of JLL or Eamon.Fox@knightfrank.com of Knight Frank to see how we can help you.
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