Leeds Development Corporation
{{Short description|British public organisation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox organization
|name = Leeds Development Corporation
|image = Leeds Development Corporation.svg
|image_border =
|size =
|caption =
|map =
|msize =
|mcaption =
|motto =
|formation = 1988
|dissolved = 1995
|type =
|headquarters = Leeds
|location =
|membership =
|language = English
|leader_title = Chair
|leader_name = Peter Hartley CBE
|key_people = Martin Eagland
|num_staff =
|budget =
|website =
}}
The Leeds Development Corporation was established in 1988 to develop South Central Leeds and the Kirkstall Valley.
History
File:YorkshireRider 7603 F6O3XWY.jpg bus on Eastgate in the 1990s]]
The corporation was established as part of an initiative by the future Deputy Prime Minister, Michael Heseltine, in 1988 during the Third Thatcher ministry.{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1988/1145/contents/made|title=The Leeds Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order 1986|publisher=Legislation.uk|access-date=16 January 2025}} Board members were directly appointed by the minister and overrode local authority planning controls to spend government money on infrastructure. This was a controversial measure in Labour strongholds such as East London, Merseyside and North East England.{{cite book|first1=Michael|last1= Parkinson |first2= James|last2= Duffy|title=Government's Response to Inner-City Riots: The Minister for Merseyside and the Task Force|publisher=Parliamentary Affairs|year=1984|volume=37 |pages=76–96}}{{cite book|title=Michael Heseltine: A Biography|first= Michael|last= Crick|year=1997|page=238|publisher=Hamish Hamilton|isbn=978-0241136911}}
The corporation's area comprised the former industrial area of South Central Leeds and the site of a former power station in Kirkstall Valley. The corporation faced some opposition in its work at the former power station from the Kirkstall Valley campaign.{{cite journal |last1=Freeman |first1=Claire |title=Deflecting Development: competing pressures on urban green space |journal=Planning Practice & Research |date=November 1996 |volume=11 |issue=4 |pages=365–378 |issn=1360-0583 |oclc=1257675814}}{{cite web|url=http://www.landmarkchambers.co.uk/expertise/case/r_v_secretary_of_state_ex_p_kirkstall_valley_campaign |title=Cases: R v. Secretary of State ex p. Kirkstall Valley Campaign|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417070006/http://www.landmarkchambers.co.uk/expertise/case/r_v_secretary_of_state_ex_p_kirkstall_valley_campaign |archive-date=17 April 2014 |publisher=Landmark Chambers|year=2013|access-date=1 July 2013}}
Its flagship developments included the Royal Armouries Museum at Clarence Dock{{cite web|url=https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/the-department-for-culture-media-and-sport-the-re-negotiation-of-the-pfi-type-deal-for-the-royal-armouries-museum-in-leeds/|title=The Department for Culture, Media and Sport: The Re-negotiation of the PFI-type Deal for the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds|date=18 January 2001|publisher=National Audit Office|access-date=16 January 2025}} and the Hunslet Green housing development.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VjPt0AEACAAJ |title= Hunslet Green A Major Development Opportunity on a 50 Acre Site|publisher=Leeds Development Corporation|year=1988}} During its lifetime {{convert|4100000|sqft}} of non-housing development and 571 housing units were built. Around 9,066 new jobs were created and some £357 million of private finance was leveraged in. Around {{convert|168|acre|km2}} of derelict land was reclaimed and {{convert|7.2|mi|km}} of new road and footpaths put in place.{{cite web|url=http://www.communities.gov.uk/archived/general-content/citiesandregions/impacturban/ |title=Impact of Urban Development Corporations in Leeds, Bristol & Central Manchester |date=18 November 1998 |publisher=Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions |accessdate=26 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211110418/http://www.communities.gov.uk/archived/general-content/citiesandregions/impacturban/ |archivedate=11 December 2008 }}
The Chairman was Peter Hartley CBE and the Chief Executive was Martin Eagland.{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199495/ldhansrd/vo950327/text/50327-08.htm|title=House of Lords debates|publisher=UK Parliament|date=27 March 1995|access-date=16 January 2025}} The Executive Directors were Alan Goodrum, Robin Herzberg and Stuart Kenny.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=EiEhAQAAIAAJ |title=The Royal Armouries in Leeds The Making of a Museum|page=126|first1=Derek|last1= Walker|first2= Guy Murray |last2=Wilson|publisher= The Royal Armouries |year=1996|isbn=978-0948092268}} It was dissolved in 1995.{{Cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1995/966/contents/made|title=The Leeds Development Corporation (Dissolution) Order 1995|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=28 August 2018}}