Four takeaways from our first Yorkshire and North East seminar
27.01.25 4 min read
On Tuesday 21st January, our Yorkshire and North East team hosted its first seminar in Leeds. Inviting the biggest names in property and regeneration, our attendees heard from a variety of speakers on how Muse is working with our partners in the North and beyond to regenerate our towns and cities in challenging times.
Discussion focused on how transformative places can be delivered through the strength of partnerships, even during economic headwinds. However, we don’t want to keep this discussion to ourselves, so here were the four key takeaways:
There’s never been a better time to invest in the North… for the right projects
Ben Pretty, Partner at Cushman & Wakefield, kicked off the event with an outline of the current public funding opportunities for regeneration. Despite his area of work often being described as a ‘dark art’, Ben emphasised that securing funding is definitely possible and the North is in a particularly strong position for tapping into the current Government’s priorities.
Ambitious housing targets, a focus on brownfield sites and a continued opportunity to play a role in the UK’s 16 investment zones are all golden opportunities for those looking to secure funding. But most importantly, a continued focus from Government on devolution and moving power and funding decisions away from Whitehall and into the hands of local authorities, means that those investing in the North, 90% of which is covered, or will be, by devolution deals, are in a strong position.
Those looking to maximise their prospects of securing public funding, however, need to be strategic in their approach and clear on delivery. Government will be scrutinising this closely and looking at whether you have the right expertise and track record, which is why working with strong partners is key.
Thinking beyond red line boundaries is key
A common theme across our speakers was the importance of looking beyond red lines and planning at a city-wide level rather than assuming a scheme’s benefits will spill out to a wider area.
We discussed how this has been a key part of our approach in Bradford City Village at Muse, and how we are using three council-owned catalyst sites – Kirkgate, Oastler and Chain Street – to bring forward a wider package of regeneration in the city.
David Shepherd, Strategic Director at City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, explained how taking this city-wide approach has been vital in Bradford in order to both change the narrative of the city from deficit based to progressive, but to also make Bradford more liveable and connected.
Through key projects such as One City Park, City Village, Bradford Live and Darley Street Markets, regeneration is giving hope to people in the city through increased employment, housing and retail and leisure opportunities, demonstrating the positive impact that can be achieved when we consider people and communities before bricks and mortar.
Public and private sector partnerships are vital for growth
Another point echoed by many of our speakers was the scale of the challenge in delivering ambitious regeneration schemes, and that collaboration between public and private sector can be the catalyst to unlocking these projects and their potential.
From a Muse perspective, we explained how a strategic place partnership between Homes England and WYCA has been key in getting Bradford City Village off the ground, allowing us to sit down from a very early stage with our partners to discuss what the city needs and what intervention is required to take forward a scheme of this scale. This has included drawing on the partnership framework to secure brownfield infrastructure and land fund support that will allow the first stages of demolition and the delivery of green space and public realm to be delivered.
As well as helping to bring forward regeneration schemes at pace, public and private sector collaboration is also driving a larger programme of wider investment in the city, helping to grow the prosperity of Bradford and ensure that the people living there will directly benefit from the changes.
Transport is the secret to unlocking untapped potential
Anna Heaton, Partner at Addleshaw Goddard and member of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, emphasised the need for devolved authorities to use transport to connect into new economic opportunities and enable growth. She pointed to Bradford as an example of how mass passenger transit opportunities and a proposed new station could act as a catalyst for wider regeneration in the city.
David Shepherd shared further details on how a number of rail projects were in progress in the city, with the expansion of Bradford Forster Square being designed to attract people from surrounding towns and villages to visit more often, while public realm improvements at Bradford Interchange seek to improve the visitor welcome to the city centre. However, a new rail station, currently being explored, which would connect Bradford on a through line with fast connections to Manchester, Leeds and Huddersfield, could be the key to unlocking further regeneration and growth in the city.
Importantly, this would enter the city from the southern side, and David explained how this could lead to a new 144-hectare regeneration site in one of the city’s most deprived areas. Named Southern Gateway, this site could bring new employment space, better housing and high-quality public realm, showing the impact that new transport links can have on unlocking regeneration at scale.