Senior West Yorkshire leaders from the public and the private sector joined forces in Leeds last week to kick-off and galvanise plans for UKREiiF 2025.
In a powerful show of unity behind plans to boost economic growth in West Yorkshire, the gathering came ahead of the region’s investment opportunities being unveiled at the event next month.
As the UK’s Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Forum (UKREiiF) returns to Leeds for a fourth consecutive year, the business community heard how West Yorkshire’s ambitious plan for growth is already being delivered at pace.
West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin and the region’s civic leaders will use next month’s event to progress multi-million-pound regeneration programmes, plans to build thousands of new homes, and projects to revolutionise transport in the region, including a new tram system.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Working together to accelerate investment and turbocharge growth, we are ready to showcase the very best of West Yorkshire.
“We’re pulling out all the stops to make sure investors know that West Yorkshire is the greatest place in the country to live, invest and grow a business.
“It’s where opportunity lives – and with trams on the way, there’s never been a better time to invest here.”
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “UKREiiF provides a fantastic platform to showcase the dynamic growth and exciting future of Leeds and the wider region.
“Our transformative regeneration plans in the city, including the expansion of Elland Road and British Library North, alongside our ambitious regional plans for a world-class tram system – the largest investment in connectivity in our region for decades – underscore our commitment to progress.
“We look forward to welcoming thousands of delegates from across both the UK and the globe back to Leeds this year to showcase our wonderful city and wider region, and our ambitious plans for the future.”
With over 40 investment-ready sites, three ‘corridors of opportunity’ will be showcased to thousands of businesses and investors at the annual event next month.
The Western corridor focuses on growth opportunities in Leeds, Bradford and Calderdale, with plans for major housing, office and industrial developments, including Bradford City Village, a transformation of Halifax town centre, and a £2 billion ‘Innovation Arc’ in Leeds.
Mayor Brabin’s ambition to bring trams to West Yorkshire, which received renewed backing from the Prime Minister earlier this month, will be key to unlocking the opportunities.
With ambitions to get spades in the ground by 2028, the region’s mass transit system will redefine the urban journey from Bradford city centre to Leeds city centre, improving public spaces, driving economic growth, and ensuring faster, more reliable access to essential destinations, while linking key communities in between.
The Southern corridor focuses on Leeds to Dewsbury and Huddersfield, where there are plans to develop six associated neighbourhoods including 50,000 new homes to surround Leeds city centre, while cementing West Yorkshire’s reputation as a healthtech powerhouse with a National Health Innovation Campus.
A vibrant creative and industrial hub linking high growth sectors between Leeds and Wakefield forms the Eastern corridor. With major developments already underway, it includes plans for a revamped waterfront in Castleford, opportunities for large scale manufacturing and logistics units, and a £2.5 billion data centre run by Microsoft.
Taking place 22-25 May, UKREiiF is expected to bring over £20 million to the region’s economy and over 16,000 delegates to Leeds.
