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Chapter III – part two: A large town

The city at present: 178–183

 Novermber 1963    The Buchanan Report    Chapter 3ii  
Contents • Chapter 3ii • The city at present

The main feature of the land use pattern of Leeds… is the close proximity of the principal industrial areas to the central business area.

  • Fig. 101 General location of Leeds.
    Fig. 101 General location of Leeds.
  • Fig. 103 Leeds is a centre for communications. There is a concentration of urban development to the west and south in contrast to the more rural areas to the north and east stretching into the Vale of York.
    Fig. 103 Leeds is a centre for communications. There is a concentration of urban development to the west and south in contrast to the more rural areas to the north and east stretching into the Vale of York.
  • Fig. 105 The River Aire flows through the city in a pronounced valley, and much of the industry is concentrated along it.
    Fig. 105 The River Aire flows through the city in a pronounced valley, and much of the industry is concentrated along it.

The city at present

178

Figures 101 and 103 (above) show the regional setting of Leeds. The city lies midway between the east and west coasts, close to the eastern slopes of the Pennines, and is the focal point of a network of road and railway communications, including several east-west routes across the Pennines. This concentration of communications will be further emphasised by the termination at Leeds of the M1 motorway from London, and by the location of the proposed Lancashire-Yorkshire motorway along the southern outskirts of the city. The Figures also show the main concentrations of population. Leeds is the largest of a cluster of towns and villages that make up the West Riding of Yorkshire. This concentration of urban development lies mainly to the west and south of Leeds in contrast to the more rural areas to the north and east stretching into the Vale of York.

179

The population of Leeds itself is about 511,000. Whether this figure will increase or decline will in large part be determined by the density at which new dwellings are built within the city (especially in replacement of existing old houses), the resulting amount of city overspill, and the extent of boundary alterations. It is not, however, expected that the present population will greatly change, and for the purpose of this study a future population of about 524,000 for a somewhat enlarged city has been assumed.

180

Although Leeds is more than 60 miles from the sea, some southeastern parts of the city are only 7o ft. above sea level. The highest parts, however, are over 650 ft. This wide range of levels, and the steeply sloping land, have had a marked influence upon the location of the main road and railway routes. Figure 104 shows the contours, and emphasises the slopes where it would be difficult to locate new roads.

Fig. 104 The topography of Leeds. The development of the City has been decisively influenced by the contours, and these will still influence the location of new roads.
Fig. 104 The topography of Leeds. The development of the City has been decisively influenced by the contours, and these will still influence the location of new roads.
181

Figure 106 shows the main land uses throughout the city. The central shopping, office and warehouse area is clearly defined, and the location of the centre is further emphasised by a major teaching hospital and the university. The city centre is regional in character and scale, serving a wide area east of the Pennines. The River Aire flows through the city in a pronounced valley, with minor tributaries running north and south. Most of the industrial premises are concentrated along the valleys, and are not far removed from the central shopping, business and commercial area. Coal and other minerals have been worked within the city, mainly to the south-east, leaving large areas of waste land to be reclaimed for other uses. As may be seen from Table 1 there is a considerable variety of industries in the City.

Table 1

Employment group
 Percentage
Clothing & Textiles
 20%
Engineering
 17%
Other manufacturing industries
 13%
Transport & Communications
 5%
Distribution trades
 14%
Professional, scientific, services, public, administration, banking, etc.
 15%
Miscellaneous 16%
Total
 100%
Fig. 106 Leeds. The main land uses.
Fig. 106 Leeds. The main land uses.
182

The age of residential buildings in Leeds is shown in Figure 107. It can be seen that around the central business and industrial areas there is much old, nineteenth century housing, presenting a great opportunity for comprehensive redevelopment. Most of the modern residential areas have spread extensively over the northern half of the city, and, to a lesser extent, onto areas of higher ground south of the River Aire.

Fig. 107 The age of residential buildings in Leeds. Note the extensive areas where the buildings are now over 70 years old. This indicates not only the great burden of reconstruction that lies ahead, but also the great scope there is for imaginative work. Most of our industrial cities are in the same state.
Fig. 107 The age of residential buildings in Leeds. Note the extensive areas where the buildings are now over 70 years old. This indicates not only the great burden of reconstruction that lies ahead, but also the great scope there is for imaginative work. Most of our industrial cities are in the same state.
183

The main feature of the land use pattern of Leeds, and unquestionably the most important from the point of view of our study, is the close proximity of the principal industrial areas to the central business area. This results in a great daily concentration and convergence of movement as people come into work from the widely-spread residential areas of the city.

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