New lease of life for Clarence Dock and city centre south?

New plans are afoot for Clarence Dock. Photograph used under Wikimedia creative commons license. Photo by Bob Peters

It’s been a source of debate for some time. A kind of ‘ghost town’ which is neither part of the city centre or the rest of South Leeds – a white elephant that’s so far failed to live up to expectations.

But a new strategy for the ‘Brigadoon’ that is Clarence Dock in Hunslet is aiming to turn the area into a destination for start-up digital and creative businesses and to encourage floating retail and food and drink.

According to the Leeds Citizen blog, owners Allied London are to present their “emerging strategy” to councillors at a meeting of Leeds City Council’s Plans Panel for the city centre on Thursday.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vngG4-fA3AQ&w=420&h=315]

It’s a pre-application presentation, so no decisions will be taken at the meeting but lets hope there’s movement to bring the developmen, which houses the Royal Armouries to life – and also better connect with the rest of south Leeds.

See the report below for more:

[scribd id=98790590 key=key-qtp3fsbzfg792vql51s mode=list]

Meanwhile, the Leeds Sustainable Development Group is hosting a meeting to discuss the future development of the City Centre South. All landowners with an interest in the area are invited to attend. The LSDG remains determined not to allow the huge opportunity provided for the future development of Leeds City Centre and the inner Hunslet area not to be lost through any lack of vision and action. Follow this link for more.

And the first phase of Tower Works has been transformed into a magnificent home for creative and digital industries in Holbeck, the PR folks diescribe it as “an innovative powerhouse once again for the first time since its closure 30 years ago”. The official opening of the first phase is due on Friday, July 13.

It’s good to see some movement in areas that have been part of south Leeds’ rich industrial past. Let’s hope developers can avoid the perils of white elephants that seem to roam those parts of Leeds…