Great connectivity is the key for this Miller Homes development
There are many great reasons to invest in off plan property in Leeds. You’ll find some of the UK’s best property investments here.
It is home to some of the best retail in the UK, with several malls and arcades, pedestrianised streets and markets. In total, it is home to more than 1,000 shops. It hosts a higher education population of more than 200,000. Its residents benefit from some of the best schools in the UK, and a high percentage of these are rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.
The Leeds City Region secured a £1 billion Growth Deal with the central government in 2014. It provides the finance to deliver ambitious growth and the West Yorkshire Transport Fund. Additionally, more than £350 million of public and private investment will help to boost regeneration, growth and jobs. Billions more in investment have already been committed to Leeds. Businesses here benefit from a well-educated workforce of around 2 million.
So, a great place to go to work, raise a family, and for retail therapy. A city that is being heavily invested in, with both public and private money funding key regeneration programmes. But what about transport? Does Leeds have the transport infrastructure to support planned growth? And does it have a plan for the future of transport here?
In this article, we examine transport in Leeds. You’ll also discover an excellent executive development by Miller Homes, which could be perfect for those seeking to invest in the lucrative market for professionals with families.
Leeds – well connected, and about to improve
Residents and visitors to Leeds benefit from an extensive network of road, rail and bus transportation routes:
- The city is connected to the national road network by the A1/M1
- More than 7 million people are less than an hour’s drive from Leeds city centre
- Leeds railway station (New Station Street) is one of the busiest in the UK
Additionally, Leeds Bradford Airport connects the region to Europe with direct flights to more than 60 European cities.
Already a well-connected city, Leeds will benefit from large-scale investment in its transport infrastructure as High Speed comes to the region and West Yorkshire Combined Authority rolls out its Single Transport Plan (STP) during the next 20 years.
The current transportation network
· Roads
Leeds is at a major intersection of the UK’s road network. The M1 and M62 in the southeast of the city, and creates a semi-orbital motorway around the southeast of Leeds. The M621 speeds traffic in and out of central Leeds. The inner ring road and city centre loop combine to help ease the flow of traffic around Leeds and in its centre.
The M1/A1 is the main arterial for goods and people travelling south to London and north to Newcastle and Edinburgh.
The M62 goes west to Bradford, Manchester and Liverpool, and east to the port of Hull.
Roads crisscross the region, serving to connect Leeds with York, Scarborough, Harrogate and Ripon.
· Buses
The bus network in and around Leeds is one of the most comprehensive in the UK. However, it is considered somewhat fractured because the main bus station is so far from the railway station. Thus, many streets in Leeds are lined with bus stops. Tackling this situation is one of the aims of the Single Transport Plan (STP) detailed below.
· Rail
Leeds station on New Station Street is one of the busiest in the UK. With 17 platforms, it is also one of the largest.
Here around 100,000 passengers use 1,000 trains each day, with direct connections to London, Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Newcastle, Manchester and Liverpool. Services also provide access to Aberdeen and Edinburgh, though these often require a change at York or Newcastle.
The outskirts of Leeds are connected to the city centre by a network of local train stations, fanning out from the centre.
The single transport plan
West Yorkshire’s Single Transport Plan will prove its worth in Leeds, perhaps more than anywhere else. Its ambition is to transform the quality and performance of West Yorkshire’s transport system and take advantage of the greater connectivity with the rest of the UK that High Speed 2 (HS2) offers. It will deliver the connections that people and businesses want and need, further reinvigorating Leeds and West Yorkshire as a place to invest, work, do business, and live. The integrated transport plan flows through five core principles:
- One System, High-Speed Ready – with cities and towns integrated into a single network and inclusive of HS2. The system should be easy to understand, easy to access and offer quick and convenient connections for onward journeys.
- Place Shaping – making towns and cities more attractive places to work and live.
- Smart Futures – exploiting technology to improve the experience of the local population and customers, with real-time information, better payment options, cycle storage, charging points, and taxis.
- Inclusion – the transport system must be inclusive of rural areas via collaborative agreements with other providers and encouraging initiatives such as car sharing and private hire vehicles.
- Asset Management – managing all transportation routes to offer maximum value-for-money services at every level, while meeting the needs of all users.
Regeneration and housing development being fast-tracked
The population in Leeds and West Yorkshire is set to grow faster than the national average. Successful implementation of HS2 combined with an integrated transport policy will ensure the potential benefits of good higher education facilities and the large working age population are fully accessed in the future, as well as contributing towards being the UK’s largest financial centre outside of London.
Work on transport improvement has already begun
In April, the government confirmed a £173.5 million funding package to help improve public transport in Leeds. It will be used to help ease city congestion, provide new Park and Ride services. There will be a Parkway station on the Leeds to Harrogate line to serve Leeds Bradford Airport.
Transport Minister Andrew Jones said of the financial commitment, “New segregated bus corridors and investment in Park and Ride schemes will be a huge benefit to people who live and work in Leeds, and those who visit the city. Better transport facilities don’t just help people get around, and they help them get on – connecting them to jobs and contribute to delivering economic growth in the north.”
Brompton Fold at Apperley Bridge – A Miller Homes development ideal for professionals
Miller Homes have been building sustainable communities for 80 years. They’ve honed housebuilding to perfection, and 93% of their customers say they would recommend a new build home on a Miller development. Miller’s roll call of awards includes:
- Nine quality awards in the Pride in the Job Awards 2017
- The Family Home of the Year at Homes for Scotland 2017
- Silver Award for Best Regeneration at the 2016 WhatHouse? Awards
- The winner of the Investors in People Gold Award 2016
- Named the leading mid-market private housebuilder in the UK in The Sunday Times Top Track 250
Miller Homes treat each of their new build homes as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to add as many different options when investing off-plan. The earlier you invest, the more options are available.
Brompton Fold is typical of the quality of Miller Homes’ landbank and development capability. This exclusive development offers a range of 4 and 5-bedroom homes for executives and professionals. These beautiful homes are only a couple of minutes’ walk from Apperley Bridge railway station, from where commuters will be in the centre of Leeds in 8 minutes via half-hourly services. Leeds Bradford Airport is only four miles away.
There is a range of highly respected schools within walking distance, including the independent, private Woodhouse Grove School.
Though the incredible shopping in Leeds is less than eight miles by road, residents are well served for the daily requirements here. Local supermarkets within walking distance include Asda, Sainsbury’s, and Co-op. Medical centres, opticians and dentists are similarly convenient. Nearby places to eat and drink include all major fast food outlets as well as international cuisine and fine dining independents.
The development is ideally placed for those who enjoy an outdoor life. Apperley Bridge Marina and the canal are around 250 metres away, and for cyclists and walkers, the towpath forms part of the National Cycle Route 66. There is a wide variety of green spaces and parks to explore, and plenty of local sports clubs for the more active.
Brompton Fold, though not in the centre of Leeds, is a development of superb quality by one of the UK’s top housebuilders. Its location is ideal for families of executives who work in the city but want a relaxed lifestyle on a few minutes’ commute away. We believe this makes Brompton Fold by Miller Homes an ideal candidate for your off-plan Leeds investment.
Contact one of the Gladfish team today on +44 (0)207 923 6100, and discover more about the amazing property investment opportunities in Leeds – and to be kept informed of off-plan and new build property investment opportunities in Leeds as they get the green light.
Live with passion,
Brett Alegre-Wood
