06.06.18
WYCA to consider £380m investment growth and transport schemes
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee is being asked to back 10 new schemes at a value of over £383m through its Local Growth Fund and West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund programme.
Among the schemes are the £764,000 Halifax Living Programme, which aims to open up sites in Halifax town centre for much needed housing development.
It will see around 100 town centre apartments built at Cow Green, with around 30% being offered as affordable homes, and 300 new homes and commercial properties constructed across four sites at the town’s Eastern Gateway.
The £41.55m Wakefield City Centre South East Gateway scheme would see flood protection, drainage, highways, land clearance and demolition works which would support the future development of Rutland Mills at Wakefield Waterfront and open up over three hectares of development sites.
By 2024 over 80 new homes could be built, and the possibility of a 10 year housing development south of Kirkgate railway bridge could be explored.
Proposals also include a full-scale £22m facility to test high-speed trains and high-speed rail infrastructure and a £3.37m Leeds inland port, which would make the transportation of non-perishable freight (such as timber, oil and steel) from the Humber estuary into Leeds, moving 200,000 tonnes of freight from road to water after the first year, reducing congestion.
Cllr Peter Box, chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee, said: “In 2017/2018, we invested £150,428,410 of capital funding including £90.53 million of funding through the Leeds City Region Growth Deal.”
He explained that in order to keep up momentum on delivering projects, the 10 schemes would require an additional £125.2m of funding from the combined authority.
“They are ambitious schemes designed to generate inclusive economic growth from which everyone across West Yorkshire and the City Region can benefit, and to improve our transport network to support that growth and connect people with jobs and training opportunities,” he added.
Top image: petejeff
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