“Leeds is a thriving city for business with a tremendous quality of life. It attracts talented people and leading companies. CEOs and businesses could not wish for a better platform for growth regionally, nationally and internationally.”
Jeff Morris, Partner, Odgers Ray and Berndtson
Leeds is the UK’s fastest growing city with the second largest employment total outside London, an estimated 457,400 people. The ability to adapt and develop new markets has made it a national hub for commerce and industry and one of the biggest city success stories in the UK.
The value of the city’s economy is estimated at £13.6 billion and is projected to grow by a third in the next 10 years.
The Leeds skyline is continuously developing and evolving. The city has seen massive investment with £3.2bn of investment in large property schemes completed in the last decade, and a further £7.2 billion of schemes in progress or proposed. The iconic Bridgewater Place development was recently completed and now rises 32 storeys above the city. It will soon be joined by the 54- and 32-storey towers of Lumière, set to be the tallest residential development in western Europe.
Leeds city region has 2.8 million residents, with a labour force of over 1.45 million and a combined output of more that £44 billion. It is home to nearly 100,000 businesses and six universities. Over 110,000 people travel to work in Leeds from the surrounding city region every day
Leeds is widely recognised as the most important legal centre outside London, with 180 firms based in the city employing well over 8,000 people
As one of the fastest growing centres for both traditional and new media, Leeds is now the biggest centre for printing, packaging and publishing outside London, with around 13,600 people employed in the sector
The retail offer in Leeds is amongst the best in the country with 3.5 million sq ft of retail floorspace, five miles of shopping streets and one of the country’s largest pedestrianised shopping areas
Leeds is the UK’s third largest manufacturing centre, with 1,941 firms employing 39,000 people. 50% of the UK’s manufacturing base is within a two-hour drive of Leeds
Since 1990, the city’s hotel bedstock has increased from 850 rooms to more than 3,000 rooms with in excess of 6,500 beds. Current development proposals could see this figure rise to more than 4,749 rooms
Holbeck Urban Village is an innovative urban regeneration project, focused on the high value digital and creative media sectors. Located just minutes from the city centre, it is expected to attract more than £800 million in investment and create thousands of new jobs.
Eastgate Quarters is a retail-led development scheduled for completion in 2012, which will create 1.45 million sq ft of prime retail, restaurant and leisure space as well as 600 homes.
West End Leeds is a vast mixed use development area overlooking Leeds’ waterfront containing residential, retail/leisure and office space. In excess of £1 billion of investment has been committed by six different developers.