The Leeds Development Corporation was established in 1988 to develop South Central Leeds and the Kirkstall Valley.

History

The corporation was established as part of an initiative by the future

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, in 1988 during the Third Thatcher ministry. 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. 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. Its flagship developments included the Royal Armouries Museum at Clarence Dock and the Hunslet Green housing development. During its lifetime 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 of derelict land was reclaimed and of new road and footpaths put in place. The Chairman was Peter Hartley CBE and the Chief Executive was Martin Eagland. The Executive Directors were Alan Goodrum, Robin Herzberg and Stuart Kenny. It was dissolved in 1995.

References

{{Authority control Defunct companies based in Leeds Business services companies established in 1988 Companies disestablished in 1995 Organisations based in Leeds Defunct public bodies of the United Kingdom Development Corporations of the United Kingdom