Journalists hurried out as Elland Road works start immediately after Leeds’ final home whistle | OneFootball

Journalists were ushered out of Leeds United’s press room straight after Sunday’s final home match so demolition on the Elland Road West Stand could start immediately.

After Daniel Farke’s post-match press conference on the 1-0 win against Brighton, Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Graham Smyth said: “We had to make a quick exit from the press room because they were literally moving in to knock stuff down straight after. It was a 7 pm exit, so they could get in and start demolishing, I think, which says a lot about the desire to develop very quickly,” he told The Square Ball podcast.

The urgency comes alongside a landmark move as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has joined a strategic partnership with Leeds City Council and the Lowy Family Group to regenerate the 40-acre site around the stadium.

An MoU has been signed by all three, outlining a shared aim to deliver 2,500 homes, workspace, retail, world-class sports facilities and new public spaces, in one of the UK’s largest sport-led regeneration schemes.

It has been widely reported that Leeds have secured planning permission for an Elland Road expansion, and The Business Desk reports that early works are already under way.

A mass transit link between Elland Road, the city centre and the wider region sits at the heart of the plan, which would transform matchdays and unlock the area’s economic potential for years to come.

Peter Lowy has described the stadium redevelopment as “an important catalyst” for the wider opportunity.

Source: Leedsunited.news