Elland Road land sale to proceed, could include 2,000 homes and £2bn investment | OneFootball

Leeds City Council is pressing ahead with the sale of land at Elland Road, a move that could attract £2bn of private investment and include 2,000 new homes.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, the Labour-run authority plans to dispose of 30 acres around Leeds United’s stadium to a joint venture created by the club and the Lowy Family Group, an investor in the club’s owners, 49ers Enterprises.

Leeds have secured planning permission to expand Elland Road to 53,000, and councillors agreed in principle to proceed with the legal agreements needed to enable the land sale.

Deputy leader Jonathan Pryor said the redevelopment and disposal would benefit the area, and that proceeds would be channelled into city infrastructure. He added the proposals were not dependent on the separate mass transit scheme.

Conservative group leader Alan Lamb cited comparable projects in Liverpool and Manchester as examples of community benefit, but raised concern after the £2.5bn Leeds tram plan was delayed, calling mass transit the key unresolved issue. Council leader James Lewis said work was under way on developing the tram.

A council report said the Elland Road site could also take a community sports arena and education facilities, setting a long-term vision for sports and transport-led regeneration. It envisaged that more than £2bn of investment could be secured.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk