Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of City Development which provides an update on the work on HS2 in the Leeds City Region. This follows the approval of the Council’s response to the HS2 Phase 2 proposed line of route formal consultation in December 2013, and its approval to work with Government to consider the best way of accommodating future rail in the city in December 2014. This report also sets out the main principles for the continued development of the Council’s policy in relation to Leeds station, and considers how the Council can realise the regeneration and economic growth benefits of enhanced connectivity.

Further to Minute No. 170, 18^th March 2015, the Director of City Development submitted a report providing an update on the work being undertaken with regard to HS2 in the Leeds City Region. This followed the approval of the Council’s response to the HS2 Phase 2 proposed line of route formal consultation in December 2013, and its approval to work with Government to consider the best way of accommodating future rail in the city in December 2014. This report also set out the main principles for the continued development of the Council’s policy in relation to Leeds station, and considered how the Council could realise the regeneration and economic growth benefits of enhanced connectivity.

Members welcomed the contents of Sir David Higgins’ report and the prospect of establishing a transport hub for the city region. Emphasis was placed upon the key role which the collaborative working of local government had played in getting to the current position, and the Board also welcomed the correspondence received from HS2, as appended to the submitted report, with regard to the line of route refinement and mitigation process.

In addition, Members discussed the range of benefits arising from the proposed solution for HS2 arriving into Leeds and received an update on the latest position regarding the redevelopment of the station including the opening of the southern entrance.

RESOLVED -

(a)  That the conclusions of the Sir David Higgins’ report entitled, ‘The Yorkshire Hub’ (as appended to the submitted covering Executive Board report), which is an interim report on the redevelopment of Leeds Station that the location of the HS2 station in Leeds should be a ‘T’ shaped configured integrated station, be welcomed and supported;

(b)  That approval be given for the Council to continue to press HS2 Limited and the Government on the mitigation of the line of route and to review compensation arrangements for those adversely affected;

(c)  That in accordance with resolution (a) (above), the following principles be agreed as a basis by which the Council will support the development of the station:-

(i)  The existing station and the HS2 station should share a common concourse for passengers to allow easy access between HS2 and other services, including improved city region services and Northern Powerhouse Rail.  The concourse should have easy access to the city centre, the South Bank and the waterfront;

(ii)  The new combined station should have good quality car and bus access enabling it to become a fully integrated transport hub for the region;

(iii)  The new station and its approaches should have sufficient capacity and be future proofed to allow for the improvements needed to accommodate significant increases in rail services resulting from the Northern Powerhouse Rail network, and on city region rail routes.  This should include four tracking to the east of the existing station;

(iv)  The station and its approaches should allow for through trains to enhance local services to the rest of the city region.  This should include a connection between HS2 and the existing network, to enable some classic compatible HS2 trains to run through the existing station to and from York and beyond;

(v)  The design of the combined station (including the existing concourse areas) should reflect the significance of its role and place not just for Leeds and Yorkshire, but as a major national landmark.  It should be a world class iconic design, surrounded by outstanding public realm, in line with the masterplan for development and growth of Leeds South Bank, one of the most significant regeneration projects in Europe.  The station needs to create an attractive environment for all users of the city centre, including pedestrians moving across the city centre who need to walk through and around the station but may not to rail users.

(d)  That approval be given for the Council to take a lead role in the work with HS2 Limited, Department for Transport, Network Rail, Transport for the North and West Yorkshire Combined Authority in order to develop a long term plan for the station, including the necessary short term improvements, its integration with the transport network and its seamless integration with the city itself;

(e)  That approval be given for the Council to now progress detailed work on the HS2 Growth Strategy in order to maximise the growth associated with HS2 for the city, and the city region, with approval also be given for the Council to work closely with City Region districts and West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Central Government on its development;

(f)  That approval be given for the Council to now finalise the masterplan for the Southbank area in order to help realise the potential regeneration and place making opportunities of the new station, whilst approval also be given to develop a policy approach that will maximise the social, physical and economic benefits from HS2 and to facilitate the design of a world class arrival space;

(g)  That a more detailed report be submitted in 2016, which outlines the conclusions from the Masterplanning work prior to full public consultation commencing, and which also provides an update on the Leeds HS2 growth strategy;

(h)  That it be noted that the Director of City Development will be responsible for the implementation of such actions.