Town Investment Plan 2021 Contents

01. Executive Summary 2

02. Vision and Objectives 4

03. Our Town 10

04. Strategy 30

05. Engagement and Delivery 34

06. Projects 48

Credit for photos: Kate Campbell of Campbell’s Photography - www.campbellsphotography.co.uk Executive Summary

Morley is a town of approximately 31,600 Morley has a strong asset base: historic people five miles south-west of Leeds City buildings01 that are a positive legacy of its past Centre. A district in its own right until the success, a rail station connecting the town to 1970s and now forming part of the Leeds Leeds and Manchester, a swathe of green belt metropolitan district, Morley has retained that helps preserves its distinctive identity distinctiveness, sense of civic pride and within the Leeds Metropolitan area, and a community identity. A place of huge potential, string of employment hubs that frame its this investment plan will enable the town to eastern boundary. Yet these assets have not build on its sense of identity and capitalise on driven the growth of opportunity or economic its great history while confidently facing the uplift that they could. Many of the town’s future. heritage buildings are vacant or underused, its station is disconnected from the town and is inaccessible to many residents. The town lacks meaningful greenspace provision This Town Investment and has low tree canopy coverage, and the Plan sets out a employment hubs are poorly connected to strategy to build the town and its residents. As a result, Morley faces core challenges relating to its economic upon the proud and resilience, health and wellbeing, declining successful history built environment and skills levels. of the town, and This Town Investment Plan sets out a strategy outlines a plan for to build upon the proud and successful history of the town, and outlines a plan for the the delivery of seven delivery of seven key moves which will deliver key moves which will substantially on Morley’s fantastic potential. deliver substantially By 2030 Morley will have a vibrant and resilient economy that provides opportunities on Morley’s fantastic for all its communities. It will have developed potential a reputation as an attractive and exciting destination for visitors from wider West As the city economy of Leeds has grown this Yorkshire and beyond, strengthening its retail, has created new jobs, skills and education leisure and arts and culture offer. Morley will opportunities, leisure, arts and culture to be at the forefront of developing and adopting the benefit of Morley. The town has also new technologies, with a focus on those that benefited from its location, close to wider can address local societal challenges and help economic growth in Bradford, Huddersfield the town to develop a strong future. and Wakefield, offering access to the new jobs created in these surrounding centres and, through its rail connectivity, to Manchester. 1 2 Vision and Objectives

Vision Morley is a welcoming community. It has an emotional02 pull that draws people back, Morley has many of the ingredients to make strengthening the bonds between the it a really successful place but creating and generations - a supportive, healthy community. strengthening connections will be the key to We care for each other. Our patchwork of high- unlocking the town’s untapped potential. quality parks and green spaces weave through the urban landscape – oases of greenspace that enhance our ability to connect with each other CONNECTED to opportunities and contribute to a happier and healthier Morley. CONNECTED to our past With strong connectivity to Leeds and CONNECTED to nature Kirklees, Morley is a place for business, attracting innovative and resilient industries CONNECTED to each other invested for the long term and connected to the community. They are supported by an education and skills offer that produces talent CONNECTED we are more than a – highly skilled, bold, bright, and unique place. We are Morley. individuals with a drive to succeed.

Our vision for Morley in 2030 is a vibrant Our independent spirit is reflected in our town with an independent spirit. The unique and creative town centre retail offer buildings of our past will have helped pioneer and evening economy. The heart of Morley is an exciting modern future creating a healthy, enhanced by an arts and cultural scene which sustainable and successful place where all adds an unrivalled vibrancy to the town centre ages can live, work and play. and is reflected in our green public realm.

Our vision is based upon a recognition of the value of our past – the strong foundations which Morley was built upon. Our heritage, our industrious past and our unique independence inform our identity and our ambitions for the future.

3 4 Objectives Connected to opportunities

1. Improve the physical connections CONNECTED CONNECTED between Morley town centre, Capitol Business Park, the White Rose and to opportunities to each other Morley’s train stations

2. Create new job and entrepreneurial opportunities with greater diversity, enabling the town to develop resilience to economic shocks

3. Address skills gaps in the town through CONNECTED collaborative work between education We are Morley and training providers, and local CONNECTED CONNECTED employers to nature to our past Connected to our past 4. Address the deterioration of the historic built environment in Morley

5. Bring key assets back into use, restoring CONNECTED important buildings and developing vibrant anchor uses that will support the we are more wider town centre economy than a place Connected to nature

6. Create and stitch together a network of parks and green spaces across Morley

7. Plant more trees, improving the air quality and greening the grey environment in the town centre

8. Improve health and wellbeing indicators through the provision of high quality spaces for active leisure

Connected to each other

9. Create accessible and inclusive spaces for people to come together, embedding a shared sense of community and identity

10. Develop new vibrant and well used spaces for community, and for arts and culture to flourish

5 6 We will... This will create… Summary of projects

700 new jobs (gross) PROJECT DESCRIPTION ASK Invest significantly in local skills resilience, supporting the town to respond The New Pavilion Redeveloping the gateway New Pavilion site into a high quality adult learning opportunities £4.5m to economic changes and shocks. This 440 Skills Campus skills hub, and supporting wider regeneration of the town centre will comprise a multi-layered approach including a new adult vocational 40 hectares of greenspace Delivering a high quality refurbishment of a key civic Grade 1 listed skills campus, an employer-led skills Morley Town Hall asset, developing a cluster of arts and cultural uses to anchor the town £4.2m partnership, and digital skills training centre economy 180,000 new trees planted Morley Station Building upon Network Rail investment to better connect the station to £3.01m Gateway the town centre and wider Morley 12,300sqm of floorspace Create economic and employment Supporting an emerging economic hub in the town centre through developed or refurbished Heritage Investment building restoration and appropriate re-use, place marketing and £1.81m diversity through new business and Fund business support innovation space, generating entrepreneur and inward investment opportunities in the 2km of green streets technology and creative sectors Delivering a network of new and upgraded greenspace across Morley, A Greener Town £4.3m tackling local air quality and health challenges £33m annual contribution to GVA (gross) The co-ordinated delivery of new enterprise space, learning space and White Rose a high quality smart cities development centre in Morley – linked to Build and stitch together a network £1.98m £254m in GVA over 30 years Innovation Hub local societal challenges. Creating high quality skills and employment of greenspace, improving local health opportunities for Morley residents indicators and creating a legacy asset for (present value) future generations in Morley The above figures are based on a broad, A comprehensive upgrade of infrastructure with a particular focus initial assessment without the benefit of Connecting Morley on delivering exemplar active travel routes to connect the people of £5.2m Morley with opportunities to learn, work and exercise the full business case process but provide confidence that benefits will outweigh costs, Support the resilience of the town Total £25m and that the combined impact of the projects centre, bringing locally cherished outlined in this bid will be significant. buildings back into use, restoring important assets and attracting new In addition to the projects outlined in this and vibrant uses for Morley’s historic bid, more than £100m of wider investment buildings is in the pipeline in Morley, including a new rail station at White Rose Park, Network Rail upgrades at Morley station, expansions of Capitol Business Park and White Rose Park, Better connect Morley’s employment and continuing investment at the White Rose centres and economic assets, developing Shopping Centre. a sustainable network of walking and cycling routes between Morley station, the town centre, the White Rose and Capitol Business Park

7 8 Our town

Geographic context The boundary used to define the Morley Town Investment03 Plan reflects local social and Morley lies at the heart of West Yorkshire, five economic functionality, and encompasses key miles to the south west of Leeds city centre employment hubs at the edges of the town and between the surrounding major towns as well as the residential neighbourhoods and cities of Wakefield, Huddersfield, Halifax and local centre. The Towns Fund boundary and Bradford. The town is positioned at the does not align exactly with LSOA boundaries, crossroads of two major strategic highways; particularly to the north and south, and the north-south M1 and the east-west M62. The therefore 20 LSOAs which best fit the boundary transpennine railway runs through Morley, and best represent the population have been connecting the town to Leeds and Manchester selected. Where data allows, this definition and the economic opportunities that these of Morley has been used throughout with the cities offer. Topographically, Morley shares a exception of Health and Wellbeing data which feature with Rome and Lisbon, and is built on considers the Morley North and Morley South seven hills; Scatcherd Hill, Dawson Hill, Daisy wards. Further detail on these datasets can be Hill, Chapel Hill, Hunger Hill, Troy Hill and found in the Morley Socioeconomic Baseline Banks Hill. report.

Morley Town Deal Boundary

© Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567. 9 10 Morley’s History of an extended village focused around three From the 16th century the production of cloth religious and commercial services required by distinct areas – Morley Bottoms to the north, formed a staple of the area’s economy and the ever-growing population. During the early medieval period Morley Town End and Low Town to the south with by the 18th century Morley was already an In 1829 St Peter’s church was built on land appears to have been of some regional Middle Thorpe (now Queen Street, renamed important centre of the woollen industry. The donated by the Earl of Dartmouth. Up to this significance giving its name to a wider as late as 1867) running between the two. development of Crank Mill in 1790 can be seen point Morley had lacked a Church of England administrative area known as a wapontake. as the start of the settlement’s transformation Morley. Evidence, however, suggests place of worship, as St Mary’s had remained Historic development that there was a place of worship in into an industrialised textile town. Built on the ‘Morelei’, as it is recordedMorley fromin Domesdaythe 12th century Bookas Early activity Norman masonry was recovered during Morley Bottoms Valley Stream on the edge of Low Common to non-conformist after the Restoration. A greatly of 1086, includes thethe demolitionplace-name of the Old Chapel element on the Little evidence has been recovered of Chapel now site site of the present St Mary’s, Morley. prehistoric activity in Morley. A Bronze of St Mary’s enlarged church at St Mary’s was built in 1878 The early medieval importance of the east of Morley Bottoms, Crank Mill was the ‘ley’Age stone which implement indicatesknown as an axe- its origins as an area of church hammer was discovered to the south of Morley in the surrounding area seems to accommodate its swelling congregation. A clearedthe M62 off landRein Road, in suggestinga woodland to have waned setting. as this place of worship town’s first steam powered textile mill and is some level of activity at this time. was a chapelry of Batley parish and not particularly defining feature of 19th century a parish church in its own right. thought to be one of the earliest purpose-built The course of a probable Roman Road Theis roughly Domesday followed by today’s entry A650. Ansuggests estate plan of the aearly settlement 18th century industrial Morley is the impressive group of The road forms an extension of the provides evidence of medieval Morley. steam-powered woollen mills in the county. Roman route between Bradford, The framework of the settlement took non-conformist chapels seen throughout the theKeighley size and Elslackof a(catalogued small by village the form of andan extended describes village focused its Margary as Roman Road 721). The around three distinct areas - Morley conditionroute is thought to as continue ‘waste’. south east This Bottoms suggests to the north, that Town theEnd and area During the 19th century Morley was town. In 1886 Morley achieved Borough status. Middle to Wakefield. Low Town to the south with Middle was still recovering fromThorpe the(now Queen ‘scorched Street, renamed earth’ as Thorpe, now transformed from a large village into an The Town Hall, such an assertive symbol of Medieval Morley late as 1867) running between the two. Queen Street Back Lane, now Commercial Street policyDuring the earlyof themedieval ‘Harrying period Morley Morleyof the Bottoms North’ and Town of End 1069-70 / Low industrial mill town. This remarkable the town’s civic status, was built between 1892 appears to have been of some regional Town (now the line of Fountain Street whensignificance the giving Normans its name to a wider brutally and Middleton subdued Road) seem northern to have metamorphosis changed the settlement and 1895 and embodies the pride, strong sense administrative area known as a developed around common land and wapontake. ‘Morelei’, as it is recorded in may have originated as encroachment beyond recognition and its legacy continues to of identity and ambition that defined the town resistanceDomesday Book of to1086, the includes conquest. the and illegal squattersThere cottages. is evidence place-name element ‘ley’ which Line of Hope Street ofindicates a place its origins of asworship an area of inMiddle Morley Thorpe has fromthe character the of 12tha define Morley’s character today. during this period. cleared land in a woodland setting. planned settlement with regular croft plots holding farmsteads fronting the centuryThe Domesday as entry Norman suggests a masonryroad. Those to thewas east are recovered served by a settlement the size of a small village Back Lane (now Commercial Street). The industrialisation of the textile industry The commercial development of the town duringand describes the its condition demolition as ‘waste’. ofSurrounding the Old the crofts Chapel are the remains on the This suggests that the area was still of a medieval strip field system with and coal mining led to the town’s population saw the creation of purpose-built shops siterecovering of thefrom thepresent ‘scorched earth’St Mary’s,distinctive long, Morley. thin, sinuous plots. This policy of the ‘Harrying of the North’ of medieval framework continues to exploding with the arrival of a rapidly 1069-70 when the Normans brutally influence the town’s settlement form concentrated in Morley Bottoms and Queen subdued northern resistance to the today. The boundary divisions along Morley’sconquest. The entryorigins for the manoras a Queen medieval Street relate toagricultural the medieval expanding workforce. The mid 19th century Street. also records a church, but this is crofts; Queen Street, Commercial Street Town End / Low Town believed to be a reference to St Mary’s and Ackroyd Street are medieval in arrival of the railways saw the pace of change settlementat Woodkirk rather stillthan St shapeMary’s, the town today. The Extract from an estate survey of Morley c1706 Morley continued its boom years during the framework of the settlement took the form Extract from an estate survey of Morley c1706 accelerate further. 5 first half of the 20th century. The World Wars In 1851 the town had 6 mills but by the end brought large orders to the mills for uniforms of the century there were about 40 mills in and blanket cloth. But following the end of the township. The accompanying population the 2nd World War foreign competition and increase was unprecedented doubling outdated machinery ultimately led to the between 1851 and 1871 (4,821-9,607), and decline and closure of the town’s mills. During again between 1871 and 1891 (9,607-18,725). the 1960’s and 70’s areas of the 19th century industrial town were demolished as part of The growth of the industrial town included a programme of ‘slum’ clearances. Displaced a massive expansion of Morley’s residential communities were re-housed in council estates provision. As well as industrial buildings, the that were developed on fields or reclaimed mill complexes often incorporated prestigious industrial sites. The Ingle Estate was the first houses for their owners and managers. such development started in 1920. Initially these were set close to the mills, but later middle-class areas of the town were During the second half of the century the town developed such as Dartmouth Park, laid out by expanded rapidly with the development of the Dartmouth Estate from the 1880s. private residential estates and business and industrial units. Within the town as the former For the vast workforce extensive areas of mill structures fell into disuse some were back-to-back and through terraces were built demolished, while others were converted close to the mills, dramatically expanding the for alternative uses. In 1974 the Borough of Credit: Leodis town in all directions. Intermixed with this Morley became part of the City of Leeds.

Remarkable aerial photograph taken in 1922 looking north west. It shows the industrial town before the large scale ‘slum’ new development were the necessary civic, clearances and loss of many of the mills and their chimneys. 11 12 The main challenges facing Macro economic challenges Technological change Morley There are a number of prevailing challenges Artificial intelligence, machine learning, for the UK economy which may provide robotics and new communications The following section will set out the macro particular obstacles to sustainable inclusive technologies are rapidly changing the shape and local level challenges facing Morley as a growth in Morley. The United Kingdom has, of the global economy. Technology companies town, and which it must overcome in order to like so many other countries, been tested by dominate stock exchanges and are key drivers provide a resilient and sustainable future for the global COVID-19 pandemic, and from of economic growth. But these changes its communities. Our Town Investment Plan January 2021 will redefine its relationship risk undermining the stability of the local will directly address these challenges, and set with Europe and the rest of the world. These economy in Morley. The continuing adoption out a strategy and series of projects through sudden economic shifts fall against a backdrop and refinement of these technologies create which Morley may unlock its potential. of dramatic technological transformations that opportunities for business efficiency and This Investment Plan is written at a time of will continue to change the way businesses in turn erode the symbiotic relationships exceptional circumstances, with significant operate, people work and communicate, and between people, place and business. economic stresses and rapid changes defining how we engage with the world around us. the current social and economic landscape and Morley has a strong employment base, which so flexibility, adaptability and sustainability is highly reliant on a core set of industries; will be key principles of the town’s strategy. financial and insurance services, wholesale and retail and to a lesser extent manufacturing, public sector and transportation and storage. Morley Regional Connections Morley’s GVA has been dominated by financial and insurance services and distribution, transport, accommodation and food. As set out in the following section, Morley’s employees are concentrated in lower skilled white and blue collar occupations - in administrative and secretarial occupations (14.3%), sales and customer service occupations (10.3%) and process, plant and machine operatives (7.8%).

There is a very real threat that technological change in these industries may lead to business withdrawal and loss of employment. It is these roles that are most exposed to replacement, and where the locational advantages to businesses of strong labour markets are perhaps weakest. The impact of this change will mean a further ‘hollowing out’ of the local labour market and economy.

© Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567. 13 14 COVID-19 Recovery COVID-19 has already impacted the ways sectors of significant employment in Morley, reduction and environmental uplift. The people work, live and interact and, while some it is challenging to predict the precise impacts town has a deficiency of greenspace and tree The UK has faced an unprecedented crisis of these changes are temporary, there are likely locally, which will be highly dependent on the cover, poor air quality and poor connectivity in 2020, and it is clear the impacts from this to be long term shifts in behaviours which will activities undertaken within these sectors. within and beyond the town for sustainable crisis will continue to be felt and continue demand adaptability. Demand for office space Metal manufacturing, which is a sub sector transport modes. These are weaknesses that to shape the economy for a long period. A has fallen in the short term, and may rebound as of particular note in Morley may benefit from limit the town’s resilience to the localised recovery from this crisis must address both public safety factors are addressed. However, import substitution, with a potential +5.1% environmental impacts of extreme weather the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 the scale and configuration of demand may impact from Brexit. events, unpredictable seasons, falling as well as the inequalities and structural change permanently. It is likely that businesses biodiversity levels and habitat erosion. But issues the it has exposed. The full impacts will review their fixed cost base and the role A report undertaken by Hatch Regeneris and they provide opportunities for investment to remain to be understood, but it is clear that that office space plays in their operations, with Leeds City Council analysed the potential make a real difference and there is ambition COVID-19 has had an enormous impression the strongest continuing demand focused on impact of Brexit at a local level across four and energy in Morley to address these on unemployment rates in Morley. In October functions that demand collaboration, client core areas; trade, regulation, investment and challenges, reduce its environmental impacts, 2020 an annual increase in the claimant interaction or high security. migration. This thematic analysis indicated support Leeds’ targets to reach zero net carbon count of 148% had been recorded in Morley, potential positive opportunities arising in emissions by 2030 and play a positive role in compared to a 128% across Leeds as a whole Social interaction has also changed in the short the regulatory and investment landscape the national green economic recovery. and 134% nationally. It is unclear whether term, adapting to public health considerations in logistics and transport, health and social these recently redundant employees may be and national guidance. Mass vaccinations and care, construction, and retail and the visitor absorbed elsewhere in the economy but this relaxed guidance may mean that much of this economy. Marginal effects on employment does demonstrate a rapid and significant shift change is temporary, however the increased composition locally may result from new in the local labour market. demand for useable outdoor space both in immigration systems. the form of greenspace and woodlands, and The business closure impacts of COVID-19 to support hospitality businesses, may persist. While the localised impacts of Britain’s exit will become apparent as the crisis continues Likewise, increased time within the home may from the European Union will remain to be to develop and may become sharpest as permanently shift homebuyer expectations seen, it is clear that businesses in Morley face national support programmes are withdrawn. around gardens and outdoor space. Successful a dual challenge of a significant shift in this However, a sectoral analysis of the Morley and resilient places will respond to these trading landscape alongside a global recession. economy demonstrates that the town will be wider changes. However, new trade deals may also offer acutely exposed. 33.5% of Morley employees opportunities for local businesses to diversify are concentrated in vulnerable sub-sectors, BREXIT and capitalise on new markets. with particularly large numbers working International trade is vital to many UK Climate Change in the retail trade, and food and beverage businesses; therefore many may seek to quickly services. adjust their supply chains and distribution The UK’s presidency of the COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action The COVID-19 pandemic has primary impacts networks to accommodate post-Brexit trading towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and on health, and is most devastating among relationships. Due to the size and geography the UN Framework Convention on Climate elderly populations. The following section will of the town, the level of exposure Morley has Change. Local action is required to respond provide greater detail on Morley’s population to post-Brexit impacts is likely to be low, but to the Global Climate Emergency and to help structure and the health challenges in the may change in the coming months as the town deliver on the government’s commitment to town, however, a high proportion of over 65s, adapts to the demands of the new trading working with all countries and joining forces at 16.9%, which is larger than Leeds (15.6%), relationship with the EU. with civil society, companies and people on the signals a vulnerability to COVID-19 in Morley. Morley economic sub sectors that are most frontline of climate change to inspire climate This may be borne out in the long term impacts exposed, and where the highest impact action. The UK government, Leeds City Council among the local population. may be felt are likely to be financial and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority intermediation (-6.2% GVA fall, retail trade have all declared a Climate Emergency and (-2.3%) and education (-2.2%) (Dhingra et al, Morley can play a key role in responding, 2017). However, while these represent sub not just mitigating negative impacts but in making a positive contribution to carbon

15 16 Strengths Opportunities Weaknesses Challenges

Morley is a net importer of Growth of employment hubs will Health indicators in Morley are The town is vulnerable to current employment present jobs, skills and innovation poor economic shocks, including opportunities COVID19 employment and business impacts Morley has major employment There is a deficiency of greenspace hubs and proactive developers Better connectivity will enable the in Morley town centre to benefit from the Morley’s large town centre is proximity of these employment highly reliant on retail, at a time hubs when the sector is under severe Morley has a good business base Skills levels in Morley are lower pressure with strong local and national/ than the Leeds average global employers Repurposing historic assets will create a stronger town centre The town’s relatively low skills economy reflecting local identity Morley’s employment base is base means it is not well placed to Pupil attainment in Morley is high concentrated in vulnerable sectors adapt to economic and skills shifts

Morley could attract more visitors Morley has a large and popular to its retail and leisure offer Morley’s town centre offer is Morley’s ageing population, town centre relatively mono-cultural may create a high dependency ratio and implies specific future Grow reputation as an attractive demands for services Morley has a large working age place for professionals and young Morley’s economic centres are population families disconnected The climate emergency may have particularly high impact in Morley has a growing arts and Build unique and successful Morley has a number of vacant Morley due to the deficiency of culture sector cultural offer and underused buildings and greenspace and poor health of the spaces local population

Morley has strong rail connectivity Enhance connection between town centre and rail station Morley has an ageing population, creating a potential cliff edge for the town Morley has a strong community, passion and identity

17 18 Local Challenges Skills and productivity challenges that support both local employment and provide benefits to the wider district economy. In addition to the macro trends and events Morley is a net importer of employment, However, even with the two business parks In spite of the retaining and importing more people to that provide challenges to Morley, the town’s (White Rose and Capitol) removed from the strength of the local socio-economic structure, built environment work within its boundary than leave to data, Morley remains a net importer of labour. and infrastructure create a range of obstacles work elsewhere. This concentration of labour market, Based on 2011 data, qualification levels of to sustainable inclusive growth. These are employment is particularly driven by the Morley residents are comparatively low. Morley faces skills challenges that will be directly tackled through string of employment centres that lie at the Although the proportion of residents qualified and productivity the framework of the Morley Town Investment town’s eastern edge and along Dewsbury to NVQ Level 1 (GCSEs grades D-G), NVQ Level Plan. These challenges demonstrate evidence Road: Millshaw Industrial Estate, White Rose challenges relating 2 (five GCSEs A*-C) is higher in Morley than in of local needs, which the projects proposed in Office Park, White Rose Shopping Centre and Leeds as a whole, beyond this level there are to start-up rates, this Plan will address. Capitol Business Park. These are key assets worse than Leeds average outcomes for higher qualification levels, Economic snapshot- key indicators or no qualifications. There is a suggestion sector diversity and that this reflects either less progression after YORKSHIRE & secondary education or more likely a hollowing the occupational INDICATORS MORLEY LEEDS GB THE HUMBER out of the local skills base as those seeking and employment attaining higher level qualifications leave the Population, 000s, 2019 31.6 793.1 5,503.0 64,903.1 mix. town, at least for residential purposes. Employment, 000s, 2018 (Workplace based) 24 478 2,490 30,815

GVA, total, £m, 2018 £1,348 £26,239 £142,121 £3,616,968

GVA per worker, £, 2018 £53,218** £53,311 £46,869 £52,441

Claimant count, aged 16-64, August 2019 445 15,910 106,075 1,126,995

Claimant count, aged 16-64, August 2020 1,105 36,205 227,330 2,638,780 Occupation structure as a proportion of total employment, 2011

Change in claimant count, 2019-2020, %* 148% 128% 114% 134% WEST YORKSHIRE ENGLAND OCCUPATION MORLEY LEEDS YORKSHIRE & HUMBER & WALES Economic activity rate, % 76.2% 69.5% 68.4% 69.7% 1. Managers, directors and 9.6% 9.5% 9.8% 9.9% 10.8% Employment rate, % 69.8% 59.4% 60.0% 61.9% senior officials

Unemployment rate, % 3.8% 4.8% 4.8% 4.4% 2. Professional occupations 15.5% 18.5% 16.0% 15.4% 17.4%

Self-employment rate, % 7.2% 7.5% 8.4% 9.7% 3. Associate professional and 13.8% 13.1% 11.9% 11.4% 12.7% technical occupations No qualifications 24.4% 23.2% 22.7% 25.8% 4. Administrative and 14.3% 12.0% 11.6% 10.9% 11.4% NVQ Level 1 qualifications 15.1% 12.6% 13.3% 13.6% secretarial occupations

NVQ Level 2 qualifications 16.2% 14.1% 15.3% 15.5% 5. Skilled trades occupations 11.4% 10.1% 11.4% 12.3% 11.5%

6. Caring, leisure and other service NVQ Level 3 qualifications 12.4% 14.7% 12.3% 12.8% 7.4% 9.1% 9.5% 9.7% 9.4% occupations NVQ Level 4 qualifications and above 23.3% 26.9% 27.2% 23.3% 7. Sales and customer service 10.3% 9.4% 8.9% 9.1% 8.4% occupations Apprenticeship and other qualifications 8.7% 8.4% 9.2% 9.1%

8. Process, plant and machine Source: Population Estimates, 2019; BRES, Subregional Productivity, Gross Value Added (balanced) by Industry, all 2018, Annual Population Survey 2019, 7.8% 6.6% 8.7% 8.8% 7.2% Claimant Count, 2019-2020 and Census, 2011, all ONS. operatives

Note: *Compares August 2019 and August 2020. ** Calculated by using Mott MacDonald high level estimate of GVA in Morley for the numerator and 9. Elementary occupations 10.0% 11.6% 12.2% 12.5% 11.1% dividing by an estimate of Morley filled jobs. Morley filled jobs is estimated by applying Morley employees as a percentage of Leeds district employees multiplied by Leeds district productivity jobs. GVA per worker is driven by the sectoral mix, with the large Financial & insurance activities sector relative to total employment in Morley a primary cause for Morley’s GVA per worker being comparable to Leeds district. Source: Census 2011, Note: shading means over-represented compared to England and Wales. 19 20 In Morley there are fewer residents in the most Morley’s GVA per worker is lower than that of The combination of lower numbers of five of the six fatal accidents were ontwo highly skilled occupations (SOC major groups Leeds as a whole or the figure for Great Britain, children, far lower numbers of young adults, roads, the A650 and the A6123, indicating 1-3) compared to the wider Leeds district, and it is clear that the town underperforms in and far higher numbers of 50+ residents scope for road safety improvements in these and a higher proportion of administrative terms of productivity in spite of the scale of its indicates an ageing population which presents areas. and secretarial occupations (14.3%), sales employment base. a series of challenges for the town: a potential and customer service occupations (10.3%) skills and jobs cliff edge as greater numbers Air pollution levels are also higher than and process, plant and machine operatives Ageing population and health of residents near retirement, an increasing across Leeds or the England average, with (7.8%) compared to Leeds and nationally. This challenges dependency ratio, demand on primary care, concentrations of Nitrous Dioxide and Sulphur reflects the economic structure of the town specialised housing and other services, and Dioxide in particular higher than comparators. Morley’s population has a higher proportion and surrounding area which is more geared potential implications for local consumption of working age people than West Yorkshire, towards administrative support, retail and and expenditure. although the proportion is slightly lower than sales. the Leeds figure. However, it has a much Health indicators in Morley are poorer than In Morley, the key employee numbers by smaller young adult population (16-24), which across Leeds, particularly in relation to Morley North Ward sectors are in Professional services (33.0%), at 9.0%, is 6.0% lower than the Leeds average, chronic diseases. Across Morley North and is the most under and lower than West Yorkshire. The town also Wholesale & retail trade (25.0%) and the Public Morley South, GP reported adult obesity and provided ward, sector (10.6%). Not including these sectors, has a higher proportion of 65+ people than cancer rates exceed the average across Leeds, only Transport & storage is overrepresented either Leeds or West Yorkshire. indicating potential health problems for these (within the Outer compared to the comparator areas. Exploring residents. Morley South performs worse While the town appears to provide an offer South area) being in Morley’s employment base in more detail than Morley North and Leeds on the health for working age residents, particularly those reconfirms the town’s important economic role indicators considered, with the exception deficit in 3 typologies in older age brackets, the numbers of children as a key service centre for Retail and Wholesale of rates of smoking and diabetes, where it whilst all the other in the town (0-15) is lower than the rate in trade, Financial services, Professional services performs better. Leeds as a whole, or across West Yorkshire, wards are deficit in and the Public sector. suggesting that the offer for young families The proportion of fatal road accidents within only 2 typologies In particular, the retail sectors are driven by may not be as strong. Morley is higher than the local and national (para 4.10.1) the White Rose shopping centre in Morley, average at 1.9%, compared to 0.9% in Leeds which contains major retailers such as M&S, Table 1: Population age breakdown, and 1.3% across Great Britain. Within Morley, H&M, JD Sports, Primark and Zara, as well as by as % of total, 2019 the town centre. Morley also has key sectors of WEST employment in Transport and storage services, AGE MORLEY LEEDS Figure: Air pollution concentrations for four pollutants YORKSHIRE Manufacturing and specialised construction. 0-15 18.7% 19.4% 20.6% 0.6 0.6 The ability to start and grow business is an 0.5 important indicator of a strong economy. 16-24 9.0% 14.9% 11.9% 0.5 0.4 Start-up rates of 51.5 per 10,000 population 25-49 36.4% 33.6% 32.8% 0.4 for Leeds, and 54.7 per 10,000 for Morley in 0.4 0.4 0.4 2018, are considerably lower than national 50-64 19.0% 16.5% 18.1% 0.3 rates, at 58.0 per 10,000 population. This suggests factors are hindering entrepreneurial 65+ 16.9% 15.6% 16.7% 0.2 confidence in Leeds and the surrounding 0.1 0.1 0.1

Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% Air polution concentrations region. While Morley performs slightly better 0.1 Working age than the district average, the town lags the population 0.05 0.04 64.4% 65.1% 62.8% 0.03 national rate of entrepreneurship. (16-64) 0.0

MORLEY LEEDS ENGLAND Source: Population Estimates, ONS, 2018. Shading denotes top 3 age bands by area. Note totals do not add completely to 100% due to rounding within the dataset. n Benzene concentrations n Nitrogen Dioxide concentrations

n Particulates (PM10) concentrations n Sulphur Dioxide concentrations

Source: Communities and Local Government (Indices of Deprivation 2019 - from National Air Quality Archive 2016) 21 22 as retail and services continue to shift online. Physical connections Banks, estate agents and retailers are unlikely A recent study commissioned by the Office for to continue to invest in their branches in the Morley benefits from three key significant same form that has shaped local centres over economic hubs; the town centre, the White National Statistics (ONS) found that in 2015, it is the last century. The high street is relatively Rose and Capitol Business Park. However, estimated there were 5,800 fewer respiratory hospital mono-cultural, providing a retail-led offer the points of this triangle do not function as admissions, 1,300 fewer cardiovascular hospital with a mix of cafes, restaurants and bars cohesively as they might, severed by major punctuating the Queen Street parade. As the highways and served by poor connections. admissions, 27,000 fewer life years lost and 1,900 role of high streets and local centres changes, While the physical distances are short, these fewer premature deaths as a result of pollution Morley may lack the diversity and strength of three points do not feel walkable and cycle removal by plants. This resulted in an estimated offer to forge a sustainable future. Anchor uses routes are limited. As a result, journeys in the town centre with a wider gravitational between these destinations are made by saving of over £1 billion of avoided health costs in pull, such as unique cultural or leisure car and significant parts of the town are 2015 alone. hubs, may bring greater sustainability and dedicated to surface parking. New investment vibrancy to the centre. Pre-Covid the Morley in a rail halt at the White Rose through the (White Rose Forest Strategy Leeds, 2020) Bottoms area of the town centre had started West Yorkshire Combined Authority and to emerge as a good quality evening economy the owner of the site will strengthen the destination, though this has lost momentum area’s connectivity, particularly to Leeds and Greenspace deficiencies Town centre economy through business restrictions associated Manchester. In parallel, active travel routes withe pandemic response. Densification of and upgraded infrastructure within the town There is also a clear need for more greenspace Morley town centre was historically one of the employment in the local centre may also will enable the its assets to work harder in within Morley. The Site Allocations Plan largest freestanding town centre economies in create a more sustainable footfall to support partnership. Green Space Background paper (March 2017) Leeds. The town has a relatively strong core, retail and hospitality in the town. identifies that: centred on Queen Street with a particularly dense concentration of retail between Morley There is a deficiency of outdoor sports, amenity Town Hall and the New Pavilion, along a Figure: Physical activity amoung adults and allotment space within Morley North partially pedestrianised stretch of high street. and of allotments and natural greenspace 90% within Morley South. An analysis performed The town centre economy is anchored by using i-Tree Canopy by H. Mooney during a a Morrison’s superstore which sits at the 80% 79% Placement Project at the University of Leeds rear of the Town Hall, and has a privately 76% 78% indicated that Morley North has the lowest owned and well occupied, indoor market also 70% canopy tree cover of all the Wards in Leeds anchoring this northern end of the high street. 65% 63% 64% (<10%). In addition, a recent Friends of the The town centre economy has weathered 60% Earth study rated Morley North as an ‘E rated’ a number of challenges and has formed a 50% neighbourhood (on a scale of A to E) being symbiotic relationship with the out-of-town the most deprived of green space, including White Rose Shopping Centre which provides a 40% gardens and parks. qualitatively different offer.

30% % of adult population Sport England research indicates that adults However, underlying retail trends and 25% 23% 23% in Morley are less likely to be physically active fundamental shifts in the role and function 20% than across the wider district, are more likely of local centres provide a critical risk to the to be physically inactive and are less likely to future of this part of the town, and it will 10% be physically active multiple times a month. be vital that Morley adapts to these broader To some extent this may be a reflection of changes. While the town centre has retained 0% PHYSICALLY ACTIVE the availability of appropriate infrastructure a vital and viable density of retail and service PHYSICALLY ACTIVE PHYSICALLY INACTIVE TWICE A MONTH including green space, and running and occupiers, there is a substantial risk that many n n n cycling routes. of these businesses may withdraw over time Morley Leeds England

Source: Sport England (Active Lives Survey 2020) - small area data 2018/19 23 24 The town centre plays host to a pro-active at the White Rose Office Park will provide an events calendar, celebrating key national opportunity for the Park to deepen its role as dates throughout the year including St an employment and skills hub in the city. George’s Day Festival Weekend, Yorkshire Day outdoor cinema, October Lantern Festival and The White Rose Shopping Centre is a well- our annual Christmas spectacular! established retail and leisure destination with over 886,000 sq ft of active floorspace, making it At the heart of this sector locally is the annual one of the largest in the country. It has recently Morley Arts Festival, which has developed over completed a major expansion incorporating 15 years and supported the growth of a wider additional retail, cinema and further food and community and sector in the town. The Festival beverage outlets, which means it now employs began with a literature focus celebrating the 3,500 people, around 40% of which are from written word and after a rebrand in 2015, now adjoining communities. It is served by a small incorporates all art forms, hosting first class bus interchange. events and opportunities. Capitol Business Park is also recognised in buildings many of which are recognised as Morley’s assets and Morley Arts Festival is leading on the the Leeds Inclusive Growth Strategy as an nationally important by their listed status and advancement of education in the arts for the important growth opportunity for the city. strengths conservation area designations. local community by providing and promoting The site provides well connected office and opportunity for participation in, and the employment space with high quality occupiers Morley has a strong asset base that has been However, currently these assets are appreciation and enjoyment of arts and including the NHS, Carlsberg Tetley and James developed through periods of growth and underperforming and in some cases are in need culture, including visual art, music, dance, Latham Advanced Technical Panels. investment. However, in many cases these of urgent attention to address poor condition, film, literature and cultural heritage. With a assets are not well connected or coordinated, underuse and inappropriate change and loss number of artist-led events and workshops, Millshaw Industrial Estate is one of the lacking the investment and attention required of historic detail that reduce the vitality of the pop up theatre in the parks, poetry events largest inner area industrial estates in the to leverage their economic potential. This has town. city extending over 28 acres. It offers around created a hollowing out of the town’s economy and more, the Festival works with a number 480,000 sq ft of industrial and warehouse and environment. Some assets have been the Key heritage assets including the Town Hall, of other art organisations and stakeholders accommodation across 29 separate units, focus of historic or recent investment, and may St Mary’s in the Woods and the New Pavilion who help to shape this cultural offer and move accommodating 20 businesses, and employing provide an enhanced impact if complementary form the narrative thread of Morley’s social towards putting Morley firmly on the map as a around 500 people. Schroders acquired the site investment is made. and economic development through time. The destination for arts and culture to be enjoyed in 2016 and has embarked on a programme current underperformance of these sites is not by everyone. of refurbishments to revitalise the estate and Heritage buildings only an opportunity cost in economic terms, refurbish vacant units. but represents an erosion of identity and Large employment hubs and key Morley’s town centre is dominated by the community. employers dramatic 19th century transformation from Transport infrastructure an agricultural village to an industrial town, The White Rose Office Park is a significant Growing arts and culture sector Morley benefits from a town centre rail powered by textile manufacture, coal mining contributor to both employment and economic station, and an additional station is planned and stone quarrying. Morley has developed a strong local arts and output in South Leeds and is recognised in the at the White Rose, on the same trans-pennine culture sector, encompassing a number of Leeds Inclusive Growth Strategy and West line. Cottingley, at the north of the intervention Morley’s impressive heritage has much to offer significant organisations and events. The Yorkshire Strategic Economic Framework as area, also has a rail station. The centre of for the future success of the town as part of the town has seen an influx of art organisations a key site for future economic growth. The Morley is connected to Leeds city centre government’s levelling-up agenda and Covid making Morley their base and we have further site provides a location for a number of high directly with a 12 minute journey time by rail 19 recovery. It’s rich heritage assets show ambitions to become a hub for the arts with quality global businesses including HSBC, and station usage has increased significantly Morley’s prosperous and independent past that modernised and alternative spaces and places Capita and DAZN, employing 5,300 people in recent years, with a 545% growth of use at was founded on technical innovation and the providing a stage for artists to showcase their across 500,000 sqm of office space. The Park Morley between 2002 and 2018. industrial growth of its many textile mills, and work and enable the community to engage is also home to the Elliott Hudson Sixth Form its civic pride and strong sense of community with all artforms. College with plans to expand the skills offer. shown in its civic, religious and commercial The future investment in a new rail station

25 26 Morley also benefits from bus service an opportunity to develop a deeper and more Key opportunities for the opportunity to address this through employer- connections to Leeds city centre, providing an diverse role, drawing in visitors, shoppers and led skills development. Vocational provision important link to the region’s largest economic businesses. Connectivity cold spots remain town locally could further boost local skills. centre. The White Rose Shopping Centre with areas to the south and east of Morley less Develop a vibrant and diverse and nearby Office Park is also well served well served by public transport. In addition, the Create a strong basis for future town centre, build a unique and by frequent bus connections, with around rail station feels disconnected from the wider investment from public and successful cultural offer and 60 arrivals or departures from 11 routes town and its centre and does not provide an private sectors attract growing visitor numbers at the dedicated bus station per hour with attractive or welcoming gateway to the town. Morley’s locational advantage places the town destinations including Leeds, Huddersfield, Morley’s heritage buildings are diverse and in a strong position to benefit from inward Cleckheaton, and Wakefield. School level skills highly valuable assets that can accommodate investment across a number of industries. The modern and vibrant uses. The town’s emerging The existing transport infrastructure Morley’s local schools are driving positive growth of business space across Morley can arts and culture sector can benefit from the connections provide a solid basis for Morley change in local skills levels and pupil enable the town to attract new employers in wider growth of this industry across Leeds and to strengthen its function as a key economic attainment at key stages 1, 2 and 4 is higher high growth sectors. Existing employers could the wider North, and leverage the opportunity hub in the wider region. Morley is already a than Leeds and at stages 2 and 4 is higher than be engaged with a consistent and strategic of Leeds 2023. net importer of jobs, and these assets offer England. approach, enabling partnerships to develop and future investment opportunities to be Benefit from greater local spend identified and optimised. of Morley employment base Morley Gateways Map Maximise the benefits of a The town is already a net importer of labour, town centre train station - for providing a positive economic impact on commuting and as a destination the wider region. Providing strong physical connections and a compelling local offer can The train station in Morley is an important enable the town to benefit from this local asset that connects the town with opportunities employment base. across the north of England. Strengthening the functionality and role of this asset within the Grow reputation as an town could create new benefits for Morley, attractive place to live for young generating greater visits to the town centre and professionals and young families better connecting residents to employment Morley has a strong housing offer but can and learning in Leeds, West Yorkshire and benefit from a more vibrant and culturally beyond. rich town centre offer, and a greener and Leverage a strong sense of more child friendly environment. Attracting community and identity young families and young professionals will balance the dependency ratio in the town and Morley has a passionate community with create a sustainable base for the economy to a strong sense of local identity and pride. grow. Growing success in the town’s secondary This creates a strong basis for community schools can also become a catalyst to drawing partnerships to be forged to support and in a supporting retention of young families. embed the Town Investment Plan and to continue engagement with resident and Develop a strong skills offer - stakeholder groups. uplifting local skills levels

While local skills levels are lower than those of the wider district or the national average, the strength of local employment offers an

© Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567. 27 28 Strategy

This Town Investment Plan has been informed In addition there are areas of wider ambition by national, regional and local policies and that may04 not be delivered within the timescales strategies and is aligned with the Government’s or remit of the Towns Fund but a foundation Towns Fund objectives and priorities. The can be laid. It may therefore be appropriate Morley Plan sets out an overarching strategy to form, over time, wider strategies and and vision, and key moves which will deliver partnerships that can develop opportunities against this ambition. However, there are to deliver against these ambitions. areas of long term vision and delivery which sit beyond the timescales and remit of the Towns The strategy underpinning our Town Fund. Wider strategies and partnerships Investment Plan is set out throughout this may be developed over time to create and document: in our vision and our objectives deliver these areas of focus. As new planning, (Section 2), our spatial approach (gateways environmental and economic policy emerges map, Section 3, and projects map Section 6), this will provide ongoing opportunities to and in our theory of change (Section 6). This lever new funding and investment, extending strategy identifies the key challenges and the impact of the Town Investment Plan. opportunities in the town (Section 3) and sets out a series of projects that will support the Developing strategies town to respond positively, generating clear transformative impacts (Section 6). This Town Investment Plan is a strategic map, which sets out the key moves that will act The diagram on the following page sets as the catalyst to realising a sustainable and out how each of the projects in our Town successful future for Morley. However, there Investment Plan meet strategy and policy are a number of areas where a greater level of objectives at national, regional and local detail, study or consultation may be required level. This Plan has been developed with to interpret and apply these overarching particular acknowledgement of the impact of ambitions, or to identify further multiplier Covid19 and the role that Morley may play in effects that will arise. supporting economic recovery. In addition this Plan forms part of a wider local and national response to the Climate Emergency and Leeds’ ambition to reach net zero carbon by 2030.

29 30 NATIONAL REGIONAL LOCAL

Nature Local West Yorkshire Leeds Leeds Leeds UK White Rose Draft Recovery Inclusive Economic Leeds Local Plan Inclusive Health and Leeds Net Zero Covid19 Leeds Culture Objective NPPF Industrial Forest Transport Network / A Industrial Recovery Core Strategy Growth Wellbeing 2030 Recovery Strategy Strategy Strategy Strategy Green Future Strategy Framework Strategy Strategy Framework

We will help Ensuring all residents & Employers and People’s quality Ensure Retraining and Address skills gaps in the town through The wider social, cultural, economic people develop communities have the skills people at the of life will be education and support to those a comprehensive approach to skills and and environmental benefits that the skills needed required to be able to take centre of the improved by training meets moving between in partnership with local employers conservation can bring for jobs of the up high quality employment education and access to quality local needs sectors future or start in enterprise skills system services

Desirability of sustaining and Re-use of existing building, Bring key assets back into use, restoring Policy P.11 Conservation-led enhancing the significance of Maximising the reducing call on natural Promoting our important buildings and developing regeneration schemes will heritage assets, and putting them economic benefits resources through new identity and vibrant anchor uses that will support be promoted as a catalyst Skills Campus to viable uses consistent with their of culture build and realising cultural assets the wider town centre economy for wider regeneration

The New Pavilion conservation embedded carbon benefits

Desirability of sustaining and Improve building Bring key assets back into use, restoring Policy P.11 Conservation-led enhancing the significance of Maximising the efficiency and Reduce the Promoting our important buildings and developing regeneration schemes will heritage assets, and putting them economic benefits level of greenhouse gas identity and vibrant anchor uses that will support be promoted as a catalyst to viable uses consistent with their of culture emissions from buildings cultural assets the wider town centre economy for wider regeneration conservation in the city

Ensure that our cultural venues will Create accessible and inclusive spaces be generous with the for people to come together, embedding spaces at their disposal, shared sense of community and opening them up for identity community groups, rehearsal space, business and civic life. Morley Town Hall Morley Town Opportunities to draw on the Plan for the public Develop new vibrant and well used Creating contribution made by the historic realm of Leeds to be its spaces for community, and for art and jobs close to environment to the character of a greatest cultural asset culture communities place by 2030

Desirability of sustaining and Re-use of existing Policy P.11 Conservation-led enhancing the significance of buildings, reducing call on Promoting our Address the deterioration of the regeneration schemes will heritage assets, and putting them natural resources through identity and historic built environment in Morley be promoted as a catalyst to viable uses consistent with their new build and realising cultural assets for wider regeneration conservation embedded carbon benefits

Fund Bring key assets back into use, restoring Policy P.11 Conservation-led

Heritage The wider social, cultural, economic important buildings and developing regeneration schemes will

Investment and environmental benefits that vibrant anchor uses that will support be promoted as a catalyst conservation can bring the wider town centre economy for wider regeneration

Create or restore 500,000 Embedding and enabling Policy G.1 Green Plan for the public Build greener, People will live Create and stitch together a network of hectares of additional climate-friendly behaviour, Green infrastructure infrastructure/corridor realm of Leeds to be its healthier longer and have reduce pollution and noise parks and green spaces across Morley wildlife-rich habitats new patterns of travel, work promotion function is retained and greatest cultural asset communities healthier lives outside of protected sites and use of public space improved by 2030.

Create a genuinely Tackling air sustainable, well Policy G.1 Increase People will live Plant more trees, improving the Support work to Build greener, Transition to Net Zero, Leading the way pollution wooded landscape appropriate species of in healthy, safe Reduce the carbon air quality and greening the grey increase woodland healthier tackling the climate towards becoming through the to benefit the people, woodland cover in the and sustainable footprint of Leeds environment in the town centre cover communities emergency a net zero city Clean Air Fund economy and wildlife District communities of Leeds

Enable and support healthy People’s quality

A Greener Town lifestyles, especially where this Connecting people Policy G.1 Green Improve health and wellbeing Put health at Best city for of life will be would address identified local health with the environment Carbon emission infrastructure/corridor indicators through the provision of the heart of the health and well improved by and well-being needs – for example to improve health and offsetting function is retained and usable spaces for active leisure region being access to quality through the provision of safe and wellbeing improved services accessible green infrastructure

We will help Ensure Retraining and Protect the creative Address skills gaps in the town through people develop Smart Cities, education & Addressing digital skills and support to those spaces that already a comprehensive approach to skills and the skills needed Technology and training meets access gaps moving between exist as well as creating in partnership with local employers for the jobs of Information local needs sectors new spaces and venues. the future

UK Grand Create new Accelerate Unlocking entrepreneurs Create new job and entrepreneurial Challenges Spatial policy 8 Promoting Building more opportunities for economic from diverse communities, Smart Cities, opportunities with greater diversity, (particularly the development of a strong Leeds as a digital resilience into culture and art to

White Rose growth through building on MIT REAP, reuse Technology and enabling the town to develop resilience data, mobility local economy through city our broad base collaborate with technology & of empty spaces, innovative Information

Innovation Hub to economic shocks and ageing enterprise and innovation economy. technology and the innovation start-up training society) digital world,

Supporting a Improve the physical connections People will live healthy city that Address Spatial Policy 11 Expansion promote cycling, walking "Connected between Morley town centre, Capitol in healthy, safe allows more productivity of cycle and walking and the use of public Neighbourhoods Business Park, the White Rose and and sustainable people to walk, challenges networks transport " Morley's train stations communities cycle and be more Morley active Connecting

Working together Towards a Transport Improving Improve the physical connections Embedding and enabling Spatial Policy 11 Public to create better promote cycling, walking System Fit for a transport linking between Morley town centre, Capitol climate-friendly behaviour, transport improvements jobs, tackling low and the use of public 21st Century City- easily accessible Business Park, the White Rose and new patterns of travel, work for the bus and rail pay and boosting transport Developing our rail neighbourhoods Morley's train stations and use of public space networks Morley Station productivity networks and the city centre Gateway

31 32 Engagement & Delivery

Background and consultation In Morley the council’s Communities Team approach in Morley engage05 closely with local communities and local businesses through the Outer South Leeds initiated and led a Commission on Community Committee which holds at least the Future of Local Government in 2012 four public meetings a year where ward which sought to examine the role of local councillors make decisions about services government in the 21st century. Central to and priorities for the local area. There is the work of the commission was the concept also an active Morley Town Council with of ‘civic enterprise’: a new leadership style 26 members representing seven wards, for local government where councils become undertaking projects and operating through more innovative and enterprising, business a range of committees including Community and other partners becomes more civic and Development, Planning, Highways and communities become more engaged. The Transportation. They also partly fund a Morley findings of the commission are reflected in Town Centre Management Board and Town our ambition to be the best council: one that is Centre Manager. efficient, enterprising and healthy and reflects our wider positive outlook for the role of local This Town Investment Plan builds on and adds government in working with our communities to these existing partnerships and plans for to shape and strengthen the prospects of the the Town Deal Board which, under our private city and its residents. sector Chair, includes representatives from the Town Council, Ward Members and the Town Centre Manager amongst the members. Local business interests and significant employers are also represented on the Board to ensure Working with significant links to the private sector and to communities is one of reflect its central role in driving the town’s our core values at the growth. heart of everything we do and the way we design and deliver our services

33 34 Strategic alignment Town Investment • Business engagement event - An interactive Zoom event with Morley We have worked hard to build consensus Plan consultation and business owners and ensure that the interventions proposed engagement through the Town Investment Plan are • Received submissions - reports from a natural extension of consultation and Our approach to public consultation and several organisations that had undertaken engagement conversations undertaken engagement is ongoing but for the purposes their own engagement exercises previously and have the strong support of local of developing the Town Investment Plan has • Better Morley postcards promoting businesses and communities in Morley. Our been broadly designed in two phases: the first the consultation with freepost return proposals have been developed in response around idea generation and a second phase envelopes distributed at White Rose to comprehensive review of the evidence base seeking feedback on project ideas. Due to the Shopping Centre and key locations within and to be cognisant of and complementary impact of COVID-19 we designed a process the town centre to pre-existing strategies such as the adopted which utilised primarily digital engagement Development Plan, the emerging transport methods but also ensured we created space for • Morley Commonplace Project strategy and the Local Industrial Strategy. meaningful and in depth conversations and Consultation - A second Commonplace connected with those unlikely to participate platform (over November and December), Our consultation and engagement has been in online engagement. which provided an overview of project designed to involve people both in generating ideas and invited comment ideas as well as giving feedback on proposals. In September 2020, a partnership of Locality The existing sense of pride and identity in and Commonplace was commissioned by the We have also analysed the public posts on the Morley has come through strongly in the Council on behalf of the Board to undertake central government Morley Mytown website, consultation and is something we will harness a community engagement exercise focussed and the Connecting Leeds COVID-19 Transport through the refinement and delivery of our upon obtaining the views of residents and Response (another commonplace site and Investment Plan. The vision and strategy have other stakeholders (business community, ‘suggest a scheme’ heatmap exploring what been directly influenced by feedback from voluntary, community, faith and social action can be taken to improve pedestrian and the consultation and developed through an enterprise (VCFSE) sector etc) to support the cycling safety). interactive visioning session with the Board. development of our Town Investment Plan. The interventions within the Investment Plan Outcome of the consultation directly relate to the ambitions for Morley Between September and December 2020, expressed in the consultation, through early we undertook the following engagement Overall, we have engaged with or have and ongoing engagement and will be delivered activities: received responses from over 1,600 individuals through genuine partnership arrangements. including young people, children, older • Morley Commonplace Heatmap - an people, members of the business community, This commitment to meaningful engagement online engagement exercise (over and residents including a high proportion of will continue throughout the next phase September and October 2020). enabling Morley’s South Asian community. with the intention of working closely with participants to place pins on a map to the community to co-produce (and hopefully identify places of value to them, and deliver) the plan. places which they are concerned about

• Stakeholder & resident interviews targeting those in community leadership positions within Morley as well as Morley residents

• Engaging with hard to reach / seldom heard from individuals, including young people, older people, and those who are economically disadvantaged or vulnerable

35 36 Phase 1 Commonplace: • Indicate whether they feel it should be a Dislikes idea generation priority for Town’s Fund Investment (Yes or No) The following graph summarises the results The first stage of the Morley Commonplace of the question: ‘What do you dislike about • Provide a comment (e.g. what they like, Engagement Exercise ran between 27th Morley?’ dislike, how it could be improved etc) September and 9th November 2020. There were 2,375 visitors to the site resulting As the number of pins grew, clusters of pins What do you dislike about Morley (% of those responding selecting an option) in 550 individual respondents (people began to emerge which enabled us to identify that completed all or part of the survey the areas of Morley which are of most concern 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 information) who took part. The exercise to the community. allowed respondents to place pins on a Cycleways and pedestrian routes ‘heatmap’ of Morley, which opened a window Accompanying the heatmap element of Town centre shopping enabling those responding to: Commonplace were three multiple choice Community centres / facilities questions to complete: • Name or describe the area Evening entertainment • What do you like about Morley? • Choose from a selection of words which Market hall describe what type of place it is (e.g. • What do you dislike about Morley? Road travel / connectivity street, hotel etc) • We are applying for funding from central Parks and greenspaces • Choose from a selection of descriptive government to improve Morley. How Pubs and bars words to indicate how they feel about the should this money be best spent? area (e.g. overcrowded, family friendly Quality of housing etc) Local voluntary organisations

Morley ‘s heritage assets

Likes

The following graph summarises the results of the question: ‘What do you like about Morley?’

What do you like about Morley (% of those responding selecting an option)

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Parks and greenspace

Leisure and sports facilities

Town Centre Shopping

Pubs and bars

Railway Station

Market Hall

Local voluntary organisation

Communications (e.g. broadcast)

Community centres / facilities

Education and skills offer

Youth facilities

37 38 Investment Priorities Consultation findings • Morley Town Square - Creating an attractive new civic square in the town The following graph summarises the results Across all engagement formats we identified centre, providing a focal point for Morley, of the question: “We are applying for funding the following priorities: with the potential for use as gathering from central government to improve Morley. place and for community events How should this money be best spent?” Parks and open spaces • Business Space Development - Creating new co-working or office space in Morley, Town centre responding to a likely growth in remote How should money be spent in Morley (% of those responding selecting an option) working practices, as well as supporting the self-employed and those working in 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Morley Train Station creative industries Improving parks and open spaces Market Hall • Heritage Buildings & Shop Fronts Greener streets - Support and incentives to improve Improving / introducing woodland New Pavilion the appearance of Morley, including improvements to shop fronts, and Planting trees Town Hall bringing empty heritage buildings back Improving town centre street scene into use Cycling lanes and facilities Tackling climate change • Morley Town Hall - Refurbishment and Support for young people Morley Bottoms alterations to Morley Town Hall, which both preserve its heritage value but also Tackling road congestion Post 16 education offer improves public access - supporting a Measures to reduce car use vibrant range of uses

Improving leisure and sports facilities Bus travel • New Pavilion - Restoration and Street markets developing support for a new use for the Project prioritisation exercise building, alongside wider improvements Public events to the surrounding public realm and Renewable energy production The public consultation across the range of highways platforms resulted in a project longlist of 287 Creating new high quality jobs project ideas which were refined through a • Town Centre Housing - Supporting the Improving Morley’s nightlife rigorous project prioritisation exercise with development of housing at key strategic the Morley Town Deal Board and resulted the sites in Morley, with a particular focus Improving Town Hall following short list of 18 project ideas: upon increasing the amount of housing within the town centre, supporting the Increasing town centre living • Events and Arts - Investing in Morley’s regeneration of the town centre and Employment and skills support arts and cultural offer including the increasing footfall for town centre retail potential to create workspace for artists, New office space new or improved venues that promote • Specialist Housing - A focus on arts and culture, and developing indoor developing housing within Morley, which and outdoor spaces for arts and cultural has been designed around the needs events of specific sections of the population. including older people • White Rose Skills and Innovation Hub - Based at White Rose Office Park, • Greenspace Improvements - Investing a combination of business space, and in Morley’s parks and greenspaces, business support for start-ups and small potentially including new spaces, lighting, and medium enterprises, including facilities, footpaths, and planting schemes digital skills, and the development of new technologies • Community Hub - The provision of space for community members and community organisations to meet

39 40 • Morley Market - A refurbishment of the • Cycling and Pathways - Improving Levels of positivity about projects overall indoor market making it more attractive pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, (% of respondents) for a wide range of stall holders and to encourage healthy, active travel increasing customer footfall - including cycle lanes and storage, 4 Analysis of the comments of those that pathway creation and improvements, and 10 expressed an overall dissatisfaction with the • Morley Train Station - Improvements to measures to improve safety projects, priorities revealed that this often the accessibility, car parking provision, related to a specific aspect (e.g. a concern about and the environment around the train • Skills Hub/ Campus - Developing over-development generally or disagreeing station a Morley based skills development with a single project idea). offer, including vocational learning • Bus Transport - Working with bus opportunities, connecting local people to operators to improve bus service local jobs provision and journey times from Morley to surrounding areas • Town Centre Public Realm - Improving the town centre street scene through a 86 • Highway Improvements - Undertaking series of public realm enhancements to highways improvements to reduce improve key routes and gateways within congestion, improve connectivity and the town centre address safety issues Positive Neutral Negative

Respondents were then asked to select the projects they would most like to see happen, which produced the following results:

Projects respondents would most like to see happen Phase 2 Commonplace: 86% of those responding indicated they were (% of those responding selecting an option) very positive or somewhat positive about the Project consultation overall list of projects being considered using 0 5 10 15 20 60 The second Commonplace Platform provided the following scale. The results are displayed in Greenspace Improvements the pie chart below and indicate a significant an outline of the shortlisted project ideas. Heritage Buildings and Shop Fronts Those responding were asked to indicate, level of support of the project ideas. overall how they felt about the list of projects Morley Train Station and then asked to select the projects they Morley Market would most like to see happen. New Pavilion

Between 20th November and 14th December Morley Town Square 2020 there were 2,221 visitors to the second stage of the Morley Commonplace Engagement Cycling and Pathways

Exercise resulting in 447 individual Community Hub respondents (people that completed all or part of the survey information on the site). Morley Town Hall

Events and Arts

Highways Improvements

Town Centre Public Realm

Bus Transport

Skills Hub/ Campus

Business Space Development

White Rose Skills & Innovation Hub

Town Centre Housing

Specialist Housing

Oher

41 42 The project area identified as the highest priority was greenspace improvements - a consistent priority area, which also featured We need visitors and Please preserve the iconic Morley is surrounded the highest at stage 1 of the Commonplace online engagement process. footfall to spend their time New Pavilion. It has a long by major roads and car and money here - but for history of serving the local obsessed. It should be that we need to ensure community and had an possible for everyone in lighting, transportation and international reputation Morley to get to all parts of Having brought children parking is good and that as a pioneering techno Morley, neighbouring towns up in Morley... we really the environment is pleasing club in the 90s-2000s. It and Leeds via dedicated were drawn to the area - memorable heritage would make for a fantastic cycle paths, segregated because of the parks and shop fronts, restoration community hub and cycle lanes and 20mph local green space... just think of of buildings - further potentially a café bar and low-traffic roads how many more families encourage small business to club space too. So much would be drawn to the area put down roots potential and it’s a historic to work/live/travel to, if our building that dominates the The importance of events and arts (in Morley landscape eighth place) was also recognised by those parks were rethought & responding, potentially based upon the view extended... the parks were The following three project areas (listed that these would play an important role in given an injection of life and in order of their priority place) related to revitalising the town. significant Morley buildings and locations: A new town square for Morley also received we could all cycle safely to a high level of support, as the sixth highest these places as a family. • Train Station priority That would be my dream • Market My personal preference • New Pavilion The area outside the town would be for arts, culture, The identification of Morley’s heritage as a hall should be redeveloped and music. Following the priority area also continued with the second to become the heart of the difficult and challenging priority area being heritage buildings and town, offering space for year we have had with shop front improvements. I tend to avoid Morley train community projects and social restrictions and also station because it is not a events the impact Covid-19 has had nice place to wait, especially on the landscape of events with a young child, and has and arts, I feel the public I would love us to no access for buggies or and the arts and events embrace our historical wheelchairs to platform 2, Consistent with other engagement process town heritage, create an outcomes was the identification of the need for industry would benefit also no toilets improved sustainable transport/ active travel environment of beauty, and from investment. Plus, who with the inclusion of cycling and pathways as doesn’t feel happy with love our history the seventh highest priority. music and live concerts and events to attend! I imagine Morley market has needed Morley has so much an upgrade for a long time potential to be a hotspot as to make it more inviting for I believe it has been in the shoppers- would be nice to past! Let’s make it come attract more stalls so there alive and put it back on the are more variety to choose map! from

43 44 Relating to the view of the importance of sectors. Gerald sits on the Leeds Chamber’s the Commonplace site to seek input into Morley’s heritage, Morley Town Hall was Leadership Group and the Leeds Property projects as they develop and use the ‘news’ identified as the ninth highest priority and the Forum Steering Group and takes a particular function of the site to raise awareness, share Community Hub project was tenth. interest in promoting investment into the information and keep our database of contacts region’s transport, housing and skills needs. informed of progress. We will proactively seek Gerald has been a Director of the West & North opportunities to involve stakeholders and end Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce since 2014 users into project design, such as creative and has been President of the Leeds Chamber children’s engagement to inform the design …the Town Hall of any and Chairman of the Board. of some of Morley’s green spaces and parks. town is the centre, the We also intend to introduce an element of heartbeat, of any town. As The Board also includes representatives from competition into project design and may run the West Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, we have a lovely building it some competitions for pieces of work such as Landsec a real estate investment trust company photography, wayfinding and design of public is run down and can see the and owner of the White Rose Shopping Centre realm features to raise awareness and involve cracks in the heart of the as well as local business Morley Market. the community. town. This lovely building As a result of the engagement the TIP includes We will use established structures such as the needs to keep its historical amongst its key contributors: Community Committee to share information parts but also bringing it to and raise awareness of the Towns Fund as well the 21st century not just for • Land Securities, owner/developer of the as distributing information within the library, White Rose Office Park and one of the UK’s the public, but also for the leisure centre and Town Hall. Many of our top specialist shopping centre and retail Town Deal Board come with well-established people that work there property management companies. contacts and networks and we will work to ensure that they are engagement champions. • The Luminate Education Group, a group of providers incorporating Leeds City College, Particular attention has been given to Private Sector Investment and committed to outstanding education and overcoming barriers to involvement and to Commitment skills. potential support mechanisms to ensure no one is excluded from engaging and influencing • Sterling Capitol PLC, an award-winning Due to the nature of the Towns Fund and the Town’s Deal. Subject to lifting of lock down property company and owners of Capitol particularly its overarching aim to support and easing of social distancing restrictions Park Leeds economic regeneration, engagement with we will diversify our communication and the private sector has been a key focus. We engagement activities into face-to-face and have sought to ensure that businesses of Future engagement physical channels. different sizes (from the small independent We are committed to continuing the level and retailer through to major employers) have quality of engagement through the following been included and that the views of different planning phase, subsequent implementation industry sectors have been taken into account phase and potentially beyond into the also recognising the importance of those that future. Our Stakeholder Engagement Plan own property and potential investors into demonstrates how we will work through the Morley. Our approach also recognised the Town Deal Board to ensure: potential to reach individuals through large private sector employers. • Communities’ voices are involved in shaping design and decision making at The private sector is strongly represented each phase of the development investment through the make-up of the Town Deal Board plan and crucially contacts and networks have been leveraged to gain support and partners • Ensuring diversity in its engagement with for the Investment Plan. Specifically, the local communities and businesses Board is Chaired by Gerald Jennings who runs a property consultancy and investment Our plan aligns with the guidance and business and is also a Non-Executive Director builds on the engagement undertaken to at Yorkshire based businesses, Henry Boot date in preparation of our Town Investment Plc, The Ahead Partnership, PDR Construction Plan. Our approach is tailored to ensure the and Social Group. His experience is primarily community have the opportunity to influence within the Built Environment, but he has also the programme as well as the opportunity to held roles within the Education and Cultural influence projects. We will continue to utilise

45 46 Projects Summary of projects 06 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ASK

The New Pavilion Redeveloping the gateway New Pavilion site into a high quality adult £4.5m Skills Campus skills hub, and supporting wider regeneration of the town centre

Delivering a high quality refurbishment of a key civic Grade 1 listed Morley Town Hall asset, developing a cluster of arts and cultural uses to anchor the town £4.2m centre economy

Morley Station Building upon Network Rail investment to better connect the station to £3.01m Gateway the town centre and wider Morley

Supporting an emerging economic hub in the town centre through Heritage Investment building restoration and appropriate re-use, place marketing and £1.81m Fund business support

Delivering a network of new and upgraded greenspace across Morley, A Greener Town £4.3m tackling local air quality and health challenges

The co-ordinated delivery of new enterprise space, learning space and White Rose a high quality smart cities development centre in Morley – linked to £1.98m Innovation Hub local societal challenges. Creating high quality skills and employment opportunities for Morley residents

A comprehensive upgrade of infrastructure with a particular focus Connecting Morley on delivering exemplar active travel routes to connect the people of £5.2m Morley with opportunities to learn, work and exercise

Total £25m

47 48 This project will deliver 300 qualifications uses, and the viability challenges associated Investment need The New Pavilion and wider skills development opportunities with repurposing the building for new uses. each year, as well as creating new local Funding will partly be used to address the This project will provide a comprehensive employment opportunities. In addition this conservation deficit on this scheme. The Skills Campus and high quality restoration and repurposing will bring 20,000 sq. ft. of floorspace in an adult learning centre is not a forecast capital of a key heritage asset in a constrained town important local heritage building back into scheme in the Luminate Education Group centre location. Commercial schemes at this active use. business plan, and new additional capital will site have repeatedly failed to come forward be required to meet the costs of fit-out for this due to the conservation related costs of repair purpose from this Town Investment Plan. Rationale and reuse values associated with ‘on-market’ A new college campus in the town will provide the skills infrastructure required to address local skills challenges. In doing so this will provide the local population with Architecturally this is a lovely building and part of Morley’s heritage. the skills needed to compete in a changing It is currently derelict which is an absolute shame, and it would be economy, providing resilience to economic shocks and technological change. Uplifting lovely to see it converted for public use local skills will also drive future business growth and inward investment, ensuring a strong talent pipeline for new businesses and supporting sector diversification.

Linked to initiatives at the White Rose Office Park, to wider Leeds City College provision This project will establish a new high quality and to the growth of local employment Leeds City College learning campus in Morley at both White Rose and Capitol this will Town Centre. Restoring and repurposing the develop new opportunities for local people locally cherished New Pavilion, this heritage and increase social mobility. The project will building will be brought back to life as a support 300 learners each year to access a college. Restoring this building will bring range of skills opportunities. vibrancy to this key gateway to the town centre, generating new footfall throughout Critically, the centre will take a long term the day and into the evening and creating (rather than transactional) approach, tackling a community hub that will bring place- Level 2 skills needs including English and making benefits to this broken edge of the Maths, basic digital skills, Level 3 and higher town centre. Skills provision will particularly level training and apprenticeship provision. Artist impression: view of the proposed upward extension of New Pavilion Skills Campus Credit: TH3M Architects address the town’s economic resilience with a core focus on digital and emerging The College will have a strong positive impact technologies, but will also deliver an inclusive on the wider town centre economy, bringing and broad range of course provision and in new footfall and creating a counterbalance wider community activities. at the South of Queen Street.

The planned Leeds City College campus This model of provision and delivery draws here will form a core pillar of a wider Skills on a prime site opportunity and responds to Partnership in the town, creating a skills hub the need to bring skills provision back to an which will support local people to improve accessible, prominent central location, where their skills to be able to take advantage of the beneficiaries can access learning as part of post Covid-19 economic changes. The Hub multi-purpose visits to the town centre. includes an ‘Emerging Technology Centre’ to develop skills in coding, virtual reality, drone technology, robotics, 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and CAD, developing a wide range of skills for business.

Artist impression: view of main college entrance from Queen Street Credit: TH3M Architects

CONNECTED to opportunities CONNECTED to opportunities

49 50 Delivery Arrangements new or improved skills facilities The biggest room in the building is the The Town Hall and Alexandra Concert Hall with a gallery round The project will be a collaboration between • Availability of new specialist equipment three sides, stone architraves and stained the building owner, the Council and Town Square glass windows. Hosting the renowned Luminate, for the delivery of external • Increased and closer collaboration with Leeds Best of Brass concert series this refurbishment, core, shell, fit out and employers venue has significant potential as a vibrant equipment, which will enable Luminate to performance venue but the current poor • Increase in the breadth of the local skills bring revenue match funding to support facilities, in particular the lack of a café/bar offer that responds to local skills needs the delivery of services from the finished within the building are limiting its appeal and functionality. With investment there property. It is envisaged that long lease Arts, culture and heritage terms will be agreed between the owner are a range of activities which could be and Luminate, related to obligations on • Upgraded and protected historical successfully presented at Morley Town Hall the property completion. The Council as building from touring comedy nights, open mic nights, accountable body will manage a grant family events, music concerts, author talks funding agreement to reflect all related Urban Regeneration and ‘An Evening with’ events, amateur hires commercial and legal risks and obligations as and seasonal performances. There are also apportioned appropriately to each party. • Development of abandoned site significant commercial opportunities within the wider building which can be unlocked • Delivery of new public spaces Our ask through this investment. Climate Emergency and Carbon Reduction The project focuses on: • £4.5m • Reuse a heritage building in a sustainable • improving the Alexandra Hall concert Our offer location hall, the key cultural asset within the The project will deliver a high quality building • Match investment will be leveraged based • Apply high quality conversation and refurbishment of a key civic Grade 1 listed on a conservation deficit calculation thermal efficiency conservation standards asset to create a vibrant cultural, community • introducing cafe/bar facilities to in refurbishment. complement and enhance the cultural • Revenue funding will underpin the and enterprise centre, to anchor the high street and complement a burgeoning arts and offer operational costs • Maximise the benefit of embedded carbon cultural scene and night-time economy. through building re-use • space planning exercise to accommodate Outputs In the freehold ownership of Leeds City new users and uses within the building to • Its town centre location will maximise Council, the Town Hall is a magnificent increase occupancy and vibrancy • 20,000 sq ft floorspace opportunities for linked trips and access building and the main landmark in Morley, through sustainable modes • improving access and accessibility • 300 learners each year its Baroque domed clock tower visible from miles around and it has stood proudly at throughout the heart of the town centre for more than Linked to a revitalised and vibrant Town Outcomes 125 years. It was opened by one of Morley’s Hall this project will also deliver high quality most famous sons, the Rt. Hon. Herbert • Improvement in local skills levels public realm refurbishment to enhance the Asquith and is of ‘exceptional interest’ being setting of the listed building and provide an • Productivity improvements in the top 2.5% of listed buildings in the exciting focal point at the heart of Morley country. Built in a classical style, deliberately town centre. Options have been developed • Attractiveness of local area to inward reminiscent of Leeds Town Hall, it was a for a high quality space incorporating a investors symbol of the confidence and ambition of distinctive art feature and event space to Morley Borough Council and an expression • High street footfall facilitate a programme of events, creating of the town’s pride and identity. Housing a new centre of gravity on the high street. Morley Town Council and a range of Leeds • Public perception of place The proposals will be refined through City Council services it remains a significant options testing, consultation and through the service hub but many functions have been Alignment with intervention statutory approval process. moved out of the building and much of the framework space within the building is now poorly utilised. Skills infrastructure

• Increase in capacity and accessibility to © Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567.

CONNECTED to opportunities CONNECTED to each other

51 52 Rationale Investment need Our ask Alignment with intervention framework The Town Hall is an underused asset that is While business and venue space will • £4.2m unique to the identity and history of Morley be operated on a sustainable basis by Arts, culture and heritage and symbolic of the fortunes of the town. It established operators and in conjunction with Our offer featured strongly in the public consultation relevant stakeholders, a significant and one- • Upgraded prominent landmark and attracting a cluster of pins in the ‘heatmap’ off up front capital investment is required to • Town Hall Refurbishment £300,000 (Leeds historical building, arts venue and theatre phase and further support and comment in comprehensively refurbish and repurpose City Council) space the second project feedback phase with a this space, future-proof it for growth and recognition that its current status does not diversity of uses, to open up new high quality • Public realm enhancements £455,000 • New community spaces or assets, where sufficiently benefit the town. public realm to create an appropriate setting (Morley Town Council, West Yorkshire this links to local inclusive growth and space for complementary outdoor uses, Combined Authority, Community The economic changes resulting from the events and gatherings. Local capital is not Infrastructure, Veolia Land Tax Fund, Urban regeneration, planning and land use Covid19 pandemic include increased levels in place to support this, however without a subject to confirmation) of home working and a shift in demand viable and sustainable use the Grade 1 asset • Delivery of quality commercial space in away from traditional office space to more will continue to be under-utilised and the • Capacity building, promotion and support key locations (town centre) flexible provision and collaboration spaces. significant opportunity cost to it and the town through the Leeds 2023 cultural festival • Delivery of new public spaces There is therefore an opportunity to review centre as a whole will persist. and wider culture network the office requirements within the building Climate Emergency & Carbon Reduction with a view to optimise the offer and realise Delivery Arrangements Outputs economic benefits. The cultural sector locally • Reuse a heritage building in a sustainable continues to grow as illustrated by the • Upgraded Grade I listed building and Morley Town Hall is entirely within the location presence of organisations such as Artsbloc, ownership of Leeds City Council and it is prominent landmark, bringing to life Morley’s heritage Morley Operatic Society and the successful envisaged that this project would be managed • Apply high quality conversation annual Morley arts festival. This represents through its own in-house professional • 4780 sqm refurbished floorspace and thermal efficiency standards in an opportunity to breathe new life into the project and asset management functions, refurbishment. Town Hall whilst providing high quality with appropriate recourse to professional • Upgraded/new 1 x 800 capacity venue, 1 x space and infrastructure to support the conservation architectural, structural and 200 capacity small venue • Maximise the benefit of embedded carbon growth of the arts and cultural sector, as well events expertise as needed. The Council has through building re-use as venue space to draw in visitors to the town a strong track record in historic building • 1000 sqm new floorspace within the town to support the Town’s food and drink offer refurbishments including that of Leeds Town centre • Its town centre location will maximise and evening economy. Hall. opportunities for linked trips and access • Increase in footfall and vibrancy within through sustainable modes the town centre

It is a super place to have exhibitions and concerts but is also vastly Outcomes

underused. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to access. I think • Uplift in local spend, with benefits to retail that a combination community centre and heritage centre would be a and night time economy great improvement • Public perceptions of place

• Cultural sector growth

• Wider economic growth

• Job opportunities

© Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567.

CONNECTED to each other CONNECTED to each other

53 54 opportunities across West Yorkshire Morley Station Gateway for residents that it could. Planned TRU improvements will address station The train station is vital for those living and working in Morley. It infrastructure, however will not invest beyond the station’s red line boundary. is quite remote from the town centre and can feel isolated at night. This project will therefore will tackle wider It would benefit from better lighting and perhaps a small cafe or connectivity issues at the station, stitching something. It isn’t very accessible to all so perhaps this could be this transport asset into the wider town improved centre economy. This will, in turn, support the wider projects outlined in this bid – creating links to the revitalised Town Hall, to the emerging economy at Morley Bottoms, and providing improved access to the new skills campus at the New Pavilion. Connectivity is also key to productivity in the town, and improving this gateway will enable access to the employment opportunities of the White Rose Shopping Centre and Office Park.

Investment need

The envelope for planned Network Rail Morley Train station is a critical gateway investment will not extend beyond the station to the town centre, but is disconnected by red line boundary. However, station access poor pedestrian routes which are difficult and connectivity to the town centre is poor. to navigate and, in places, unsafe. Planned Towns Fund investment can align with this Network Rail Transpennine Route Upgrade existing funding to unlock additional benefits (TRU) investment will deliver an upgrade for Morley’s residents. of accessibility and services within the station. However, this will not address the Highways schemes to address this wider function and impact of the station connectivity are currently unfunded in the town. A new rail station is also in and Towns Fund money will create clear development at the White Rose Office Park, additionality in unlocking these schemes. supporting the growth of opportunity at the While parking extensions at Morley station office park and the shopping centre. have been explored in the past by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, plans were Building upon TRU investment this project not initially progressed due to abnormal site will address two key connections between costs. Subject to further feasibility work and the station and the town centre via Albert a full business case, assessed through the Road and Station Road. Highways schemes Combined Authority’s assurance process, will create high quality pedestrian and cycle Towns Fund money will unlock additional connections, improving unsafe and poor parking provision. accessibility routes. Legibility and wayfaring will create a sense of arrival and a clear route Delivery Arrangements to the town centre. In addition, it is intended to expand car parking at the station. The project will be managed and delivered through the in-house highways and transport Rationale engineering project management functions of Leeds City Council, working in partnership Morley’s town centre economy does with WYCA. There will be close collaboration not benefit from the town’s rail station with Network Rail to ensure programe to the extent it should. Nor does the synergies and co-ordination between on and station adequately provide the high off rail estate works and to maintain public quality connectivity to jobs and learning access to continued train services.

CONNECTED to opportunities CONNECTED to opportunities

55 56 Our ask This project will stimulate wider investment Heritage Investment in a number of key sites across Morley, • £3.01m with a particular focus on Morley Bottoms Fund and Queen Street. The Fund will offer grant Our offer support to building owners to tackle viability gaps and to support the restoration of historic • Matched West Yorkshire Combined properties bringing underused floorspace Authority funding to be bid for back into use. The fund will support a portfolio of up to 10 envelope schemes and Outputs three refurbishments focusing on schemes that will unlock broader economic benefits; • 600m upgraded road infrastructure attracting new and diverse uses to the town centre. • 600m new cycle and walking paths The scheme will retain the flexibility to offer • Delivery of new public spaces, signage targeted bespoke support to unlock sites of specific significance in the town centre, which • Delivery of up to 200 new parking spaces have been stalled for a number of years. This will include St Mary’s in the Woods, a Outcomes ruined church that offers opportunities for creative re-use, and Crank Mills, Yorkshire’s • Better connecting Morley residents to earliest steam powered mill, which occupies a work and skills opportunities prominent site close to the rail station.

• Better connecting the town centre to the Rationale town’s main transport hub This project will consolidate the existing built • Encouraging visits, generating town environment in the town centre and will centre economic uplift support the longer term sustainability and resilience of the local centre economy. In the Alignment with intervention context of Covid19 and a growing reliance framework on local services and amenities there are opportunities to densify and diversify uses Local Transport in Morley. Doing so will strengthen demand for the existing retail and service offer in the • New or upgraded road infrastructure town, generating new footfall and growing the town centre population. • New or upgraded cycle or walking paths

• Wider cycling infrastructure Delivery Arrangements

Climate Emergency & Carbon Reduction The fund will be programme managed by Leeds City Council drawing on substantial • Promotes walking, cycling and the use Morley’s town centre is a critical contributor experience of heritage-led regeneration of public transport as alternatives to car to the wider economy, providing local programmes in the city, including Townscape journeys shops and services, employment, cultural Heritage Initiatives and Heritage Action destinations and a growing night time Zones. There is a proven model for economy. It is a strong centre of gravity for engagement and contracting with property the town and settlements beyond and was owners, gaining commitment and leveraging traditionally one of the largest freestanding investment. Headline engagement has town centres in Leeds. However, the built already been undertaken with property heritage in the town centre has deteriorated owners, though restriction associated with and a number of historic and important Covid have limited the extent to which more buildings have fallen into disuse and detailed scoping could be considered. © Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567. disrepair.

CONNECTED to opportunities CONNECTED to our past

57 58 Our ask Climate Emergency and Carbon Reduction

• £1.81m • Reuse heritage buildings in a sustainable Whilst a number of empty buildings have been adapted as location commercial ventures several remain vacant and in poor condition. Our offer Revitalisation of this area as a bar or eating district would be • Apply high quality conversation welcome • Wider funding opportunities will also and thermal efficiency standards in be assessed, and partnerships with key refurbishment. stakeholders locally and nationally will • Maximise the benefit of embedded carbon be drawn upon to support the scheme’s through building re-use delivery.

• On the basis of c60% grant intervention rate, the Heritage Investment Fund would lever £435,000 of private sector investment.

Outputs

• 13 buildings restored

• £435,000 match leveraged

• 4,420 sqm of floorspace brought back into use

Outcomes

• Economic growth in Morley town centre

• Improved arts, cultural and heritage offer that is more visible and easier for residents/visitors to access

• Improved town centre environment and public perceptions of place

Alignment with intervention framework

Arts, culture and heritage

• Upgraded historical buildings

Urban regeneration, planning and land use

• Remediation and development of abandoned or dilapidated sites

• Delivery of quality residential or commercial space in the town centre

• Delivery of new public spaces

© Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567.

CONNECTED to our past CONNECTED to our past

59 60 Sites around the periphery of Morley will A Greener Town be purchased for large scale tree planting, creating new public greenspace which will The skate park is a really valuable facility and is very popular help to link Morley effectively with key economic hubs at White Rose Office Park with young people. I think additional facilities like this should be and Capital Park. Council-owned sites across considered in other spaces in Morley…” Morley have already been identified for tree planting.

Additionally there will be significant uplift to town centre public realm through green interventions including tree planting to create ‘green streets’ and pocket parks. These will be strategically located to link existing greenspace in Morley, as well as creating new green routes between the town centre and train station. Important gateways to the town centre will also be targeted for enhanced planting schemes, including Morley Bottoms, the new town square outside of the Town Hall and the New Pavilion.

This scheme will comprehensively stitch Rationale together and enhance a network of disconnected greenspaces across Morley. In A Key theme of our Town Investment Plan the process new natural spaces, paths, green submission is that Morley needs to be better streets and pocket parks will be created. connected to nature. Our objectives are to Existing spaces will be uplifted with tree create a network of parks and greenspaces, planting and wider improvements. The matching Leeds’ average tree cover canopy combined scheme will create a green asset and improving health and wellbeing base which will substantially improve the indicators in Morley. town’s environment and support local health. Morley is deficient in good quality There is currently a deficit of greenspace greenspace, and has concurrent health across Morley. Morley also faces challenges challenges. By stitching together existing around the health and wellbeing of its spaces and creating new and improved green residents. This project will tackle these spaces, this project will directly address challenges through a range of interventions these challenges by creating a network of across the Morley Town Deal Boundary. attractive an accessible green spaces for sustainable travel, exercise and amenity. New The public consultation releveled that tree planting will also provide air quality Morley residents value the provision of improvements, ecological benefits and parks and greenspace locally, as this was support the decarbonisation of Morley. These the most popular response to the question environmental improvements will generate ‘what do you like about Morley?’ However wider value, uplifting the town as a place to the relatively poor provision of greenspace live, work and visit. locally was also highlighted, as respondents White Rose Forest map viewed improving parks and open spaces as the highest priority for investment of Towns Fund monies. This project takes an ambitious approach to meeting this need. ...investment in new play equipment and then stewardship by local volunteer groups would maximise this asset

CONNECTED to nature CONNECTED to nature

61 62 Investment need • 180,000 trees planted innovators to develop products and services White Rose that respond to opportunity and need in While long term opportunities to create new • Land value uplift on surrounding sites – to the city. The first of these challenges will greenspace may emerge over time, the Towns be determined through full business case Innovation Hub specifically focus on the town of Morley Fund represents a critical strategic chance to process and may relate to health and wellbeing, air create a meaningful improvement in the local quality, the changing retail environment environment, addressing a core deficiency Outcomes or other issues with particular relevance in the town. This will create a basis on which to the town. Wrapped around this offer, future land assembly, funding bids and • Improved local population health corporate partners will also be identified to planning gain can further contribute to the set corporate challenges and to work with greening of Morley. • Improved quality of environment innovators to develop solutions.

Council-owned land in Morley has already • Attractiveness as a location for An inclusive, flexible and low cost co-working been identified for tree planting, however investment, home ownership, offer will enable those working remotely, in order to provide the transformational employment etc small businesses, and entrepreneurs in enhancement to Morley’s green spaces Morley to respond to the changing pattern needed, it is necessary to purchase land Alignment with intervention of work. This provision will create the local currently in private ownership. The White framework supply of space needed to underpin Morley’s Rose Forest will then supply funding to cover recovery from the Covid19 pandemic – planting and initial maintenance of the new • Urban regeneration planning and land supporting entrepreneur-led growth. woodland. use – delivery of new public spaces Rationale Delivery Arrangements Climate Emergency and Carbon Reduction Morley’s population is highly reliant on a Land assembly will be undertaken by Leeds Leeds has been identified by the G20 World small number of comparatively vulnerable City Council under the advice of in-house • Direct contribution to enhancing climate Economic Forum as one of three pioneering sectors for employment. In parallel the professional surveyors and valuers. Planting resilience through increased tree cover, UK Smart Cities. Building on this recognition town has relatively low skills levels and and landscaping works will be delivered planting and provision of habitat and mature local sector specialisms in data as a result productivity lags Leeds and by the Council’s Parks and Countryside and digital the White Rose Innovation Hub wider comparators. This project will create team, which is already responsible for the will create a new centre for Smart Cities opportunities to diversify and generate sub operation and maintenance of 4,000 ha of and IoT innovation, creating new business sector employment growth that will provide parks and greenspace across the district. The space and an environment in which civic greater resilience in the face of challenging Council is an active partner in the White Rose challenges can be solved. This project will economic circumstances. In addition, the Forest project and these works will be aligned be driven collaboratively through a public- focus on solving local societal challenges will with the WRF ambitions and programme. private partnership between the developer provide direct benefits to the town. of the White Rose Office Park, Leeds City Our ask Council and wider technology partners. The Investment need Hub will offer flexible co-working space to • £4.3m growing SMEs in Morley, and will attract While operators have been identified to global inward investors and innovators to provide skills training, manage co-working Our offer © Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567. high quality innovation space. The wider space and partner with the Council at the White Rose Park will offer a ‘living lab’ smart cities innovation hub, initial capital • S106 and Community Infrastructure Levy environment, creating the opportunity investment is required to establish high contributions to be determined through for Smart Cities innovators to test their quality space. The repurposing of this space local review and as developments come solutions in working commercial, education, represents an opportunity cost for the forward and residential environments. This could property owner, and while match has been include technologies relating to transport and secured, there is a clear funding gap. • Aligned P&C schemes mobility, air quality and climate, flooding, waste management, energy efficiency, or • White Rose Forest £700,000 match funding wider applications. for tree planting Leeds City Council will provide a dedicated Outputs officer to support businesses in this space, © Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567. setting civic challenges and assisting • 100 acres of greenspace

CONNECTED to nature CONNECTED to opportunities

63 64 Delivery Arrangements Our ask

Small businesses are the lifeblood of towns and we need to encourage This project will be delivered through a • £1.98m collaborative partnership between Leeds more small businesses into the area. One hurdle for small businesses City Council, the Morley Town Deal Board, Our offer and start-ups is finding affordable premises. These could be built to Munroe K and wider technology partners. make Morley a small business and start up hub. This would bring In early 2022 funding will be drawn down to • £900,000 private sector match funding employment and prosperity to the town at an affordable price commence capital works, with development management provided by Munroe K in line • Dedicated Leeds City Council officer time with a Grant Funding Agreement with Leeds to support businesses and innovators City Council and the Morley Town Deal Board. Outputs

• 100 business users

• 90 innovation users

• 100 learners

• 10 societal challenges ’hacked’ over 3 year period

• 1,300 sqm of floorspace developed

Outcomes

• Skills and job diversification in Morley

• Productivity improvements

• Skills improvements

• Innovation outputs

• New enterprises

Alignment with intervention framework

Artist impression: view of proposed White Rose train station • Enterprise infrastructure (high quality, affordable floor space, shared workspaces and innovation facilities, supporting business productivity)

• Skills infrastructure (capacity to improve skills, new specialist equipment, closer collaboration with employers, breadth of local skills offer)

Climate Emergency & Carbon Reduction

• Development aligned with existing development of new rail station and sustainable connectivity improvements as set out in this TIP Artist impression: view of proposed new buildings at White Rose Office Park Artist impression: view of proposed White Rose train station platform

CONNECTED to opportunities CONNECTED to opportunities

65 66 help to alleviate car dominance in the town, Connecting Morley encouraging a modal shift towards walking and cycling in Morley. Please build a dedicated cycle highway from Morley into Leeds. This Through enhancing linkages between Morley will reduce traffic congestion by giving people a safe alternative to and strategic transport corridors the project commuting by car and will improve air quality improves opportunities for residents of Morley, makes it a more attractive place to live and also supports the productivity of large employment destinations whilst Investment need assisting the decarbonisation of the economy. Comprehensive investment is required to The town centre economy will be supported create a well-connected network across the through public realm enhancements running town. While piecemeal upgrades are planned, through the town between Morley Bottoms this is not fundable through existing capital and the New Pavilion, transforming the funds held locally or regionally. This scheme pedestrian environment through the heart will build on planned upgrades and will of the town. New high-quality public realm enable a greater additionality of benefits to will complement Morley’s built heritage, be realised. increasing accessibility and addressing barriers to pedestrians caused by the existing road infrastructure. Our ask This project encompasses a range of • £5.2m interventions creating new pedestrian Delivery Arrangements and cycling routes whilst making existing Our offer highways more accessible for pedestrians These connectivity projects will be delivered and cyclists. Improving connectivity in the by Leeds City Council’s Highways and • £13m Morley Train Station town will help to unlock Morley’s potential, Engineering teams in collaboration with WYCA. supporting business growth, access to skills Outputs and access to employment whilst helping to attract visitors. By focussing on active travel Rationale • 6.5km of cycle paths and pedestrian interventions this project will also address routes Morley’s economy is driven by three key some of Morley’s health challenges and help employment and enterprise clusters, however make the town less dominated by car use. these are disconnected from one another. Outcomes Across a range of interventions there is In parallel, the town is highly dependent • Improved health, reduced congestion, a focus on enhancing public transport on cars leading to health challenges and sustainability of transport options, safety infrastructure and routes between key a poor environment. In order to realise gateways and employment hubs with the productivity potential in Morley, and Alignment with intervention connectivity schemes targeting the key to enable a behavioural shift to active linkages between Morley Town Centre, travel, this project will develop high quality framework Capitol Business Park and the White Rose infrastructure for walking and cycling between these disconnected sites. • Local transport (upgraded road Shopping Centre and Office Park. This project infrastructure, new and upgraded aligns with the station gateway project as In the engagement exercise, the highest cycle and walking paths, wider cycling connections will be improved between the infrastructure) train station and the town centre. scoring response to the question ‘What do you dislike about Morley?’ was ‘Cycleways and Pedestrian Routes’. The schemes included • Skills and enterprise infrastructure The project complements the investment (accessibility/connectivity to facilities) in parks and greenspaces to create active within this project will help to address this shortcoming and will also ensure that travel connections and exemplar traffic free Climate change and carbon reduction routes to facilitate both access to employment Morley residents are better connected to and opportunities for recreation. Through opportunities and better connected to nature. • Development of facilities to encourage investing in the public realm and improving and support modal shift to low carbon

walking and cycling infrastructure this will alternatives © Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567.

CONNECTED to opportunities CONNECTED to opportunities

67 68 KEY ISSUES THEME OBJECTIVES PROJECTS OUTPUTS OUTCOMES

• Rising unemployment CONNECTED • Improve physical connections between • Enhanced high street and Morley town centre, Capitol Business Park, Connecting Morley – active travel • Low skilled occupations to opportunities town centre experience the White Rose and Morley’s train stations • Skills gaps • Create new job and entrepreneurial Morley Station Gateway • Enhanced accessibility of • Sectoral threats / diversity opportunities with greater diversity, opportunities across the enabling the town to develop resilience to town geography • Low productivity economic shocks Smart Cities Expertise • Improved heritage offer • Address skills gaps in the town through a • 700 new jobs (gross) comprehensive approach to skills and in White Rose Innovation Hub creating access to historic partnership with local employers buildings for residents. • 440 learning opportunities Skills partnership • Unlocking opportunities for • Vacant heritage buildings CONNECTED • Address the deterioration of the historic arts and culture sector to to our past built environment in Morley • 40 hectares of grow • Overreliance on retail New Pavilion Skills Campus greenspace • Bring key assets back into use, restoring • Underused spaces important buildings and developing vibrant • Increased share of • 180,000 new trees • Morley reputation anchor uses that will support the wider town Morley Town Hall young people and adults economy with relevant skills • Visitor numbers • 12,300 sqm of for employment and Heritage Investment Fund floorspace developed entrepreneurship or refurbished • Lack of greenspace CONNECTED • Create and stitch together a network of • Increased number of parks and green spaces across Morley • 2km of green streets enterprises utilising high • Low tree canopy coverage to nature A Greener Town quality, affordable and • Plant more trees, improving the air quality sustainable commercial • Car dominance • £33m annual and greening the grey environment in the spaces • Ageing population town centre contribution to GVA (gross) • Health challenges • Improve health and wellbeing indicators • Increased number of through the provision of high quality spaces Tree Planting start-ups and scale-ups, • £254m in GVA over 30 for active leisure supporting entrepreneur- years (present value) led recovery • Station access CONNECTED • Create accessible and inclusive spaces for Connecting Morley – public realm people to come together, embedding a • Improved health and • Cycle/walking connections to each other shared sense of community and identity wellbeing indicators locally • Public realm, art space Accelerated Funding • Develop new vibrant and well used spaces and culture for community, and for arts and culture to • Enhanced environment, • Town centre flourish Artspace match funding including improved air quality

overall case for change based on the and technical disciplines. This project team 2. Funding, including establishing the final Business case evidence base reports directly to the Morley Town Deal funding mix and terms, funding profiles development and Board, which meets on a regular basis both and revenue costs • The Economic Case, with reference to as a full Board and through sub-committee appraisal value-for-money assessments and options groups. 3. Procurement strategy, including market testing testing where commercial delivery The projects outlined in this Town Investment Further project business case development partners are required Plan for Morly have been selected on the basis • The Financial Case, establishing will be progressed following the outcome of of a high level appraisal and prioritisation affordability and funding certainty Stage 1 of the Towns Fund process and on the 4. Deliverability including scheme exercise, which has assessed strategic fit, level basis of agreement of Heads of Terms with programme, constraints and mitigations, of impact and deliverability, among other • The Commercial Case, including the government. This process will address the risk management, communications and criteria. Projects have been developed to a market demand for the project and the following for each project: stakeholder management strategic outline stage and further business procurement strategy for delivery case development will follow a Treasury 1. Further options testing to establish 5. Monitoring and evaluation at both ‘Green Book’ process, setting out: • The Management Case, including the a preferred option, including setting programme and project level. delivery model and governance structures critical success factors, assessing delivery • The Strategic Case, with reference to models, outputs, value-for-money, impact A project team has been formed, which national and local strategy context as assessments, and setting and checking is led by Leeds City Council officers, with well as the Morley Vision, and the Morley core assumptions. Town Investment Plan. Addressing the inputs from a range of areas of expertise

69 70 Morley Town Investment Plan Projects Map LEEDS CITY COUNCIL (accountable MORLEY TOWN DEAL BOARD body, delivery body)

Town centre, Health, Skills, culture & Connectivity wellbeing & education & placemaking greenspace employment

LCC project lead (funded post)

LCC officer Consultant Private sector WYCA & other support support partners agencies

Business case Local towns fund approval development

Consultation & Stakeholder & community support engagement

Final business case MHCLG & Treasury approval submission

© Crown Copyright and database right 2020. Ordnance Survey LA100019567. 71 72 • The Council is well-versed in following Leeds City Council operates robust internal Wider partners and stakeholders engaged Local expertise and a heritage-led approach to the assurance processes and governance locally and through the Morley Town Deal assurance transformation of places. Most recently arrangements. These are in line with the Board have relevant expertise, and the Morley the Council has led on Lottery-partnered Single Appraisal Framework at regional level Town Centre Management Board, Morley The Morley Town Deal Board comprises both Townscape Heritage Initiatives across and Green Book methodology nationally. The Town Council, the North and West Yorkshire deep local knowledge and a broad range of Leeds in Armley, Chapeltown and at Council will ensure assurance and scrutiny Chamber of Commerce, the West Yorkshire expertise of relevance to the delivery of the Lower Kirkgate. The Council is currently processes can be drawn on to assess business Combined Authority and other organisations Town Investment Plan. This includes: partnering with Historic England on the cases and other project documents when will provide additional expertise and New Briggate High Street Heritage Action further developing the projects set out in the assurance through the process of project • Property development and investment Zone which will transform Leeds’ Grand TIP. development and delivery. Quarter. • The retail and leisure sector and the town centre economy • The Council also has a strong track record when it comes to skills and innovation. • Skills and education Leeds is at the forefront of the Smart City movement having created Leeds Data • Community engagement and the Mill, the first public/private Open Data development of social capital platform in the UK, releasing data to enable smart solutions, connecting Leeds • Transport and connectivity to a global community of analysts and • Arts and culture sector growth and developers. programming • Leeds is also connected to global • Public sector funding and business case innovation movements. Through the development prestigious MIT REAP programme Leeds is collaborating with global leaders from • National government policy and strategy nine countries to drive innovation-driven entrepreneurship in the Leeds city region. This expertise will inform the further development of projects through the Stage • There have been several high-profile 2 process, and further Board recruitment regeneration developments in Leeds over may be undertaken to ensure subject specific the last decade, including the Trinity Credit: Megan Dobbyn expertise and local communities are effectively shopping centre, Victoria Gate and Leeds represented in this process. Arena.

Leeds City Council will act as lead accountable • Leeds City Council is focused on body for the delivery of the Town Investment developing the city’s strong cultural Plan. The Council has deep institutional offer. Since the city’s bid to be European expertise and technical capabilities across a Capital of Culture came to an end, Leeds wide range of disciplines and a strong track has forged ahead with its plans to host record in delivering complex and multi- an alternative year-long celebration of agency regeneration programmes across the culture in 2023. The Leeds 2023 festival of core areas outlined in this bid. culture will have a strong international focus and will celebrate the diverse Collaboration is at the centre of Leeds City cultures from across the globe to be found Council’s civic leadership approach. Working in the city. collaboratively the Council has successfully attracted Channel 4 to the city, moved Through the above examples of innovative the proposed location of the HS2 Station, partnership work the Council has maximised developed apprenticeships with all Leeds’ law regeneration outcomes, balanced risk, created firms, helped tackle skills gaps in the digital new funding opportunities and provided sector, more closely integrated NHS and Social sustainable economic benefits for their care services and developed citizen-led social partners and for the city. enterprises. This collaborative approach will be key in taking forward the projects outlined in the Morley Town Investment Plan.

Credit: Ekaterina Sheath

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