The City of Leeds are keen to replicate the success of the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Leeds – which has transformed Rotherham-Sheffield. The ambitions have been revealed by Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, who said plans to set up a rail technology park in the city’s enterprise zone could initially create up to 3,000 new jobs.

Tom Riordan was the Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward – a regional development agency – when the AMP was launched and he envisages the ambitious developments would sit alongside Leeds University’s Institute for High Speed Rail and System Integration which will be a huge centre of excellence for high speed rail planning, design, construction and manufacturing – in another huge boost for the region set for HS2’s arrival.

Of the potential plans Tom Riordan said: ”We’re going through a big period of transition at the moment. Students and universities are vital to that and are absolutely crucial to attracting the talent we need to run the businesses we need going forward. We think we can replicate the Advanced Manufacturing Park by clustering developments around the University’s new institute and rolling stock depot. That’s the sort of thing that could make a material difference, not just to Leeds, but to the North and the rest of the UK.”

The AMP development on the edge of Rotherham – Sheffield was a main talking point of the Sheffield Development Plans Conference in which Edward Highfield of Sheffield Council said that businesses were lining-up and that the investment pipeline is the healthiest it has ever been‘. The conference heard from those who’ve moved into the site and made it a huge success including Boeing Airlines, McLaren Automotive and Sheffield Hallam University – whilst Rotherham Council authority also discussed their involvement and future plans.

The future development plans of Yorkshire are set to be a the subject of discussion at the Developing Yorkshire Conference in April where we’ll be hearing from Leeds City Council, Historic England, HS2 and Leeds Training Hospitals NHS Trust – with further speakers set to be announced soon.