{"id":92,"date":"2010-03-18T10:20:51","date_gmt":"2010-03-18T10:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leedscd.wordpress.com\/?p=92"},"modified":"2010-03-18T10:20:51","modified_gmt":"2010-03-18T10:20:51","slug":"plans-unveiled-for-tower-works-curb-your-enthusiasm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/realisedevelopment.net\/index.php\/2010\/03\/18\/plans-unveiled-for-tower-works-curb-your-enthusiasm\/","title":{"rendered":"Plans Unveiled for Tower Works – Curb Your Enthusiasm?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yorkshire Forward have recently unveiled plans (again) for the regeneration of the tiny, but very well positioned Tower Works site in Leeds. \u00a0A quick search <\/a>of the YF site\u00a0shows\u00a0that this has been rumbling on since the land was acquired in 2006.<\/p>\n

The usual PR froth is being spewed out – ‘mixed use development’, \u00a0‘Italianate Towers’, ‘Giotto’, ‘supporting creative and digital industries’, ‘Leeds as a major business centre’….’vibrant community’ etc. \u00a0But haven’t we been fed this\u00a0line somewhere before?<\/p>\n

Original plans for some 145 000 square feet of office space have been reduced to 18000 square feet in the ‘first phase’. \u00a0But this will put still more pressure on Holbeck Urban Village where, at a casual glance, occupancy\u00a0(outside of The Round Foundry) is poor.<\/p>\n

The re-development of Tower Works will be financed by a mix of public and private finance. The public element coming from Yorkshire Forward seems to be just shy of \u00a320 million. \u00a0The private investment will\u00a0mean\u00a0that only those aspects of the\u00a0development\u00a0that are most\u00a0likely\u00a0to provide a good return are\u00a0likely\u00a0to happen quickly. \u00a0With Holbeck Estates going into\u00a0administration\u00a0it is not yet at all clear how any developer will make their returns.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it is a time for a change of tack?<\/p>\n

Currently we invest enormous sums of public cash in developers to sweeten deals\u00a0sufficiently\u00a0to enable them to provide an infrastructure that will attract the creative classes to Leeds. \u00a0Tower Works, the new southern entrance\u00a0to\u00a0the station, Neville St refurbishment, Latitude, Wellington St, I could go on. \u00a0Once we have got things just right, and our 15 year plans have come to fruition, then surely\u00a0things\u00a0will come good? \u00a0Well, if it\u00a0all works out well, perhaps, yes. \u00a0Those with the skills and the finance to use the infrastructure\u00a0might\u00a0be able to accrue more wealth. \u00a0 And, if you still believe in ‘trickle down’ (probably Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy as well), then the economic benefits will also flow out to the poorer communities enabling the ‘gap’ to be maintained rather than widened. \u00a0Perhaps the enterprise fairytale will have a happy\u00a0ending\u00a0this time. Perhaps…if we combine best case scenario with that holy\u00a0grail\u00a0of trickle down. \u00a0Now I am all for optimism, confidence and positive thinking – but the realist in me says ‘Perhaps not’.<\/p>\n

Worst case scenario? \u00a0Developers, architects, public servants and planners get paid their fees and salaries and we get left with yet more low occupancy real estate. \u00a0And I am not talking schools and GP practices. \u00a0I am talking office space. \u00a0Leeds is already awash with infrastructure – yet we intend to create more.<\/p>\n

What would happen if we used that \u00a320m to provide a serious programme of enterprise outreach education? \u00a0(And before\u00a0anyone\u00a0says isn’t that\u00a0what\u00a0LEGI did, no they did not. \u00a0They too put the money primarily into infrastructure at\u00a0Shine and \u00a0Hillside offering expensive premium office space).<\/p>\n

What would happen if we provided high quality,\u00a0sustained,\u00a0long term and person centred community development work?<\/p>\n

What if we taught\u00a0local\u00a0people the importance of bootstrapping, skill development and building social networks that pursued sustainable communities?<\/p>\n

What if we helped them to create\u00a0their\u00a0own futures rather\u00a0than\u00a0enveloping them in the vision of the anointed?<\/p>\n

Would our faith in the creativity, hard work and application of the people of Leeds be rewarded?<\/p>\n

Of course.<\/p>\n