Guiseley and Yeadon Conservation Areas extended

CGS:St Oswald's Church,Guiseley



CGS: Yeadon Town Hall


Guiseley and Yeadon conservation areas have been extended, following a review and public consultation.

Conservation areas aim to safeguard and celebrate areas of special architectural and historic character. Both Guiseley and Yeadon have interesting histories and their surviving townscapes owe much to their early medieval origins and the success of the textile industries during the 18th and 19th centuries.

As part of the work the conservation area boundaries have been reviewed and extended to best represent the special architectural and historic interest of the towns.

Yeadon has had a conservation area since 1973 and Guiseley had two separate conservation areas – Town Gate and Park Gate designated in 1985. This is the first time the boundaries have been revised and updated since their original designation.

The former Guiseley Town Gate and Park Gate conservation areas have been combined and extended to create a single Guiseley conservation area. This covers the Town Gate and Oxford Road areas and extends northwards to include parts of Kelcliffe, the historic mills along Netherfield Road, and along Otley Road to White Cross. It also takes in Park Gate to the south, and parts of Greenbottom to the east.

The revised Yeadon conservation area covers the town centre, extending north-east to take in the cemetery and Yeadon tarn. Westwards it includes the terraces along High Street and the Football and South View Terrace. Other landmarks include St Andrews Church to the north as well as the town’s surviving historic mills and development along Kirk Lane to New Scarborough and Nunroyd Park.

The new boundaries come into operation on January 16th.

As part of the review an appraisal and management plan has been adopted for each area. The appraisals outline the historic development of the towns and explore what makes up their local distinctiveness and sense of place. The management plans identify ways that this special character can be looked after in the future.

The appraisals and proposed boundary changes went through a public consultation process including public meetings and exhibitions at the libraries. This public involvement has helped to shape the new conservation areas boundaries and the appraisal documents.

Conservation area designation protects historic areas from harmful change and encourages good quality design in new development. Trees in conservation areas are also protected.

Cllr Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for city development, said:
“This is good news for Guiseley and Yeadon because it will help retain the unique character of these historic areas and protect them from unsuitable or harmful development. Conservation areas are not just about protecting the past, they are also about planning for the future in a way that builds on our heritage in a positive way. “

The appraisals and boundary maps can be viewed at the local libraries or on the Council’s website www.leeds.gov.uk (search ‘conservation area appraisals').The appraisals and boundary reviews were funded by Leeds City Council’s Outer North West Area Committee, with the support of the ward councillors, from their well being fund.

For further information contact the conservation team at: Sustainable Development Unit, Leeds City Council, Leonardo Building, 2 Rossington Street, Leeds, LS2 8HD. Tel - 0113 2224409. Email – building.conservation@leeds.gov.uk

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For media enquiries, please contact;
Annie Goodyear Leeds City Council press office (0113) 2243937
Email: annie.goodyear@leeds.gov.uk

Make better music for less this year

Did your child get a new musical instrument for Christmas? Are they driving you up the wall playing the same few notes over and over again? If so Leeds City Council’s music centres could be the answer.

The new year is a great time to enrol for music lessons at one of the council’s nine music centres, where quality lessons in a fun environment cost just £3.50 for half an hour.

The centres have expert teachers in all instruments and styles of music and singing, including rock bands and orchestras.

And it’s not just for children. If you’ve made a new year’s resolution to learn a new instrument or rediscover an old one, there are lessons for adults as well. One centre’s oldest student is a beginner guitarist in their 90s, so age is no excuse.

Not only that, but under 5s can enjoy a fun music group for younger children at the same time.

So brighten up the January gloom on Saturday by getting along to your local music centre.

Full details of all classes can be found at www.artformsleeds.co.uk/musiccentres.

For further information about Leeds music centres contact Frances Bernstein, Music Centre Coordinator, Artforms, Leeds City Council, 07759 563 848 or 0113 230 4074.

ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact:
Emma Whittell, Leeds City Council press office, on (0113) 2474713
Email: emma.whittell@leeds.gov.uk

Leaders in green growth to advise the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership

Following an open recruitment process, the Leeds City Region Partnership has announced the line up of a new expert group to advise the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) on its approach to developing a world class low carbon economy.

The Green Economy Panel will provide leadership and a dynamic approach to the LEP board’s aspirations of achieving a low carbon economy. The new advisory panel has been tasked with working across the city region to decouple carbon emissions from economic growth, adapt to the impacts of climate change and support the development of low carbon business. The first meeting of the panel will take place in early 2012 and a 12 month action plan will be developed in the first quarter of 2012.

The announcement coincides with the launch of new research on the benefits of a low carbon transition to the Leeds City Region economy. The research, commissioned by the Leeds City Region and undertaken by the Centre for Low Carbon Futures, shows that every £1 billion of investment in low carbon options would generate £220 million in energy savings per year. In addition it would create 1,000 new jobs and wider economic benefits of a further £50 million per year.

Paul Hamer, member of the Leeds City Region LEP board and chief executive of WYG will chair the new panel.

Mr Hamer said:

“The LEP board has made low carbon one of its key priorities, demonstrating its importance and the need for real action. To this end the Green Economy Panel brings together years of expertise in different sectors including utilities, manufacturing and professional services to work alongside the LEP to achieve our green goals. This is all about taking a streamlined, targeted and action-oriented approach to low carbon economic growth and I am looking forward to working with panel members to help LCR businesses tap into this important and rapidly growing market.”

The panel’s membership is as follows:

Paul Hamer (Chair) Chief Executive, WYG and LEP Board member
Paul Hamer was appointed Chief Executive of WYG Plc in March 2009, from VT Nuclear Services, part of the VT Group Plc, where he held the position of Managing Director. He was appointed specifically to create a new forward strategy for the business and lead WYG through a major refinancing and strategic restructuring programme. Paul holds an MSc (Dist) in Engineering Project Management from UMIST and is the current Vice Chairman of the Association of Consulting and Engineering (ACE).

Councillor Janet Battye (deputy chair) Leader, Calderdale Council and LEP Board member.
Under Janet’s leadership, Calderdale Council has made significant developments in a number of areas of energy efficiency including piloting the city region wide Domestic Energy Efficiency Programme and affordable warmth techniques for hard-to-treat houses. The council is currently developing its approach to Energy Future for a 40% reduction in carbon emissions and already delivering on its ambitions through projects like the Calderdale Carbon Club, a business to business support network.

Richard Goodfellow Head of Energy & Low Carbon, Addleshaw Goddard Group
Richard is a partner at Addleshaw Goddard’s and has led their energy team since 2009.As a recognised national expert in renewable energy, Richard has been involved in a number of high profile projects such as Scout Moor, England’s largest onshore wind farm.

Chris Harrop Director of Sustainability & Group Marketing Director, Marshalls Plc.
Chris has a key leadership role within this FTSE listed company that has won a number of awards through BITC and the Plc awards for sustainability. Chris leads the Group’s sustainability strategy, is a Business Ambassador for the Carbon Trust and acts as a Sustainability Champion for the United Nations Global Compact.

Cllr Mehboob Khan Leader, Kirklees Council and LEP Board member
Kirklees Council is the seventh largest council in the country, serving over 401,000 residents. Kirklees is nationally recognised as a UK leader in home energy efficiency. Through its Warm Zone scheme provided free to all cavity and loft insulation scheme, Kirklees has insulated around 51,000 homes. Recently the Council has established a grant programme for micro-businesses wishing to introduce energy efficient measures to reduce their environmental impact, save money, and reduce carbon emissions.

Joanne Pollard , Chief Executive, CO2Sense
CO2Sense is an SME Community Interest Company at the forefront of developing low carbon business support and strategic project development across Yorkshire. Joanne has led the organisation through its development of projects such as the region’s Carbon Capture and Storage programme and numerous direct investments in renewable energy projects.

Jon Price, Chief Executive, Centre for Low Carbon Futures
The Centre for Low Carbon Futures is a collaborative membership organisation that focuses on sustainability for competitive advantage, founded by the Universities of Hull, Leeds, Sheffield and York. Our core research themes are Smart Infrastructure, Energy Systems and the Circular Economy and our projects cover UK, China and India. The Centre collaborates with over 20 universities and research institutions in more than 100 businesses in www.lowcarbonfutures.org.

Wallace Sampson , Chief Executive, Harrogate Borough Council
Wallace has been Chief Executive at Harrogate Borough Council for three years. Under Wallace’s leadership, the council has an ‘Energy Transformation’ project to address the council’s internal carbon reduction targets of 40% reduction by 2020. The new exhibition halls at the douncil’s International Conference centre demonstrate a commitment to ‘greener’ technologies including a green roof, rain water harvesting and an end of life bio waste oil CHP which generates renewable heat and power whilst feeding the existing Council district heating scheme.

Paula Widdowson , Freelance Consultant
As an SME, Paula operates an independent sustainability consultancy working with clients in food manufacturing, construction, utilities and research. Prior to this venture Paula was Director of Sustainability at Northern Foods and has extensive experience of leading and developing low carbon business models which deliver significant profit for the business.

Paul Wynn,Managing Director , Kelda Water Services
As managing director at Kelda Water Services, Paul has extensive experience of utility infrastructure and Kelda’s sister company, Yorkshire Water, in programmes to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Kelda operates some of the most environmentally friendly water treatment facilities in the UK for clients in Scotland and Ireland and for the MOD and is currently developing a number of projects, including onshore wind and anaerobic digestion of commercial and municipal food wastes. Paul is also the Regional Chairman of the CBI for Yorkshire and Humberside with a particular interest in infrastructure and environmental matters.

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Notes to editors:

1. The Leeds City Region (LCR) Partnership brings together a group of 11 local authorities (Barnsley, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield, York and North Yorkshire County Council) with businesses and partners to support economic growth and a better quality of life for our communities.
2. The Leeds City Region is the largest city region economy and financial centre in the country outside London. With a £52billion economy representing 5% of the overall UK economy, over 100,000 businesses and a 3 million population, the city region will continue to be at the forefront in both driving the economy of the North and accelerating national economic prosperity.
3. The Leeds City Region was one of the very first to form a private sector - led local enterprise partnership (LEP) and commit to working closely with both the private and public sectors in order to help businesses and the economy grow. The body representing the LEP – The LEP Board – is now working alongside the Leaders Board to deliver the Partnership’s economic development plan which was launched at the Leeds City Region LEP Summit in September 2011.
4. The Economics of Low Carbon Cities: A Mini-Stern Review for the Leeds City Region was published on the 9th September and launched at a public event in central Leeds. The report can be downloaded from the Centre for Low Carbon Futures website at http://www.lowcarbonfutures.org/
5. For more information on the Leeds City Region Partnership please visit www.leedscityregion.gov.uk.

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For press/media enquiries please contact:
Maraki Mikroudaki
Senior Communications Officer
Leeds City Region Partnership
Tel: 0113 2476947/07891278049

Statement on Department for Transport announcement on high-speed rail

Leeds City Council has given the following reaction to the announcement by the Department for Transport concerning the approval of a high-speed rail network (HS2) between London and the West Midlands, and to develop plans for a second phase which would extend the network to Leeds and Manchester.

Leeds City Council executive member for development and economy Councillor Richard Lewis said:

“This is hugely welcome news for Leeds and the wider Leeds City Region. High-speed rail would not only transform rail journeys to and from the north of England, it would also bring massive benefits in terms of the potential for Leeds and the surrounding area to develop further as a major hub for business, investment, jobs and leisure.

“We’d like to thank the large number of businesses and everyone who has backed this campaign, and would stress it is vital that support continues as the plans for the northern phase of the project develop. Together with other major developments such as the Leeds Arena and the Trinity Leeds shopping complex, this promising announcement provides further proof that Leeds is very much a city for investment with a strong economic future.”

Background notes:

- Research has shown Yorkshire stands to reap over £2bn in economic benefits from the Government’s proposed national network of 200mph + trains, known as ‘HS2’, which will cut the journey time from Leeds to London to just 80 minutes.

- A high-speed link will support the creation of new jobs and encourage companies to locate and invest in the Leeds City Region as well as helping support a heritage of rail industry jobs in the region.

- The first stage to Birmingham getting the go-ahead will influence investment decisions in Yorkshire by business for years to come, helping to create new local jobs and secure existing ones, even though work on the Leeds link will not start until the early 2020s.

- As the country’s largest financial centre outside London, new high-speed connections to the capital and European markets will shape business investment decisions and enhance our competitiveness on the world stage, and will play a major role in delivering Leeds City Region’s ambition of becoming a world-leading low-carbon economy.

- Investment in infrastructure is vital in rebalancing the national economy to the northern towns and cities and crucial for the United Kingdom's long-term economic success.

- Research has shown that almost 70% of people in West Yorkshire support high-speed with nearly 90% saying they thought it would be good for business.

- A city centre high-speed rail station would provide a transformational new transport hub helping to spread the benefits of high-speed rail across the Leeds City Region.

- A significant number of the journeys currently made on the East Coast Main Line would be transferred to a high-speed line freeing up space for more, fast, frequent commuter trains and inter-regional services. This would include additional capacity for freight services reducing pressure on the motorway network.

- Upgrading the existing East Coast route could cost as much as 90% of cost of HS2 but would be full to capacity again in 10 years.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:
Roger Boyde, Senior communications officer,
Leeds City Council, Tel 0113 247 5472
Email: roger.boyde@leeds.gov.uk

Leeds schoolchildren make walking history

CGS: Race walking champion Tom Bosworth with children from Adel and Adel St John primary schools


CGS: Government minister Caroline Spelman and race walking champion Tom Bosworth with year five medal winner Emily-Mae Moorland from Adel Primary School.

With 200 days to go before the start of the London 2012 Olympics, British race walker Tom Bosworth and government minister Caroline Spelman yesterday joined children from two Leeds primary schools to launch a scheme to encourage children to walk, scoot or cycle to school.

Walk the History of the Games sees schools going head-to-head in a race to walk, scoot and cycle their way around the globe as part of a challenge to help promote a congestion-busting, healthy and environmentally-friendly way of travelling to school.

The aim of the challenge is to accumulate mileage that will enable schools to travel from the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896 through time and distance to London 2012, learning interesting facts about previous host cities along the way – while keeping fit and healthy.

Tom Bosworth, a British race walker who hopes to make the Olympic team this year, gave children from Adel and Adel St John primary schools some top tips for how to walk faster before overseeing walking races between children from various year groups at the two schools.

Tom, 21, is currently ranked top in the UK for 20kms in the under-23 age group. He competed for England in the 20 km race walk in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010 and set a UK 5000m race walk record this year. Tom currently trains full-time at the UK race walking centre at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Caroline Spelman, Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, presented the children with medals following the event, before joining pupils from Adel St John on their walk back to their own school.

Mrs Spelman said: “It’s been great to see that the London 2012 Games is inspiring so many young people in Leeds to get active on their way to school.

“As well as inspiring a sporting legacy, London 2012 has brought huge business benefits to the whole country. In Yorkshire and Humber alone, businesses in the region have won almost £75 million of contracts for construction.”

Walk the History of the Games is one of 14 projects and programmes in Leeds that have been awarded the Inspire Mark by London 2012.

The London 2012 Inspire programme recognises innovative projects that are directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Councillor Adam Ogilvie, Leeds City Council’s executive board member with responsibility for leisure, said:

“Athletes like Tom Bosworth are an inspiration to children and young people everywhere. This initiative is a great way of getting young people involved with the Olympics and keeping them fit and healthy.“

The scheme, which was developed by Leeds City Council’s transport policy section, is being delivered throughout West Yorkshire by the five district councils in partnership with the WYPTE (Metro).

There is still time for your school to take part. Leeds schools should email travelwise@leeds.gov.uk to register their interest.


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For media enquiries, please contact;
Annie Goodyear Leeds City Council press office (0113) 2243937
Email: annie.goodyear@leeds.gov.uk