Green light for new Leeds railway station

Plans for a new Leeds railway station that could be used by about 340,000 passengers annually have been given the go-ahead.Munroe K Luxembourg and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority lodged plans with Leeds City Council earlier this year for a new railway station at White Rose.The new station would be located in south Leeds on the Leeds to Dewsbury section of the main trans-Pennine rail line, the new station will serve the White Rose Office Park, including Elliott Hudson College, and the White Rose Shopping Centre. It would also connect communities including Cottingley, Churwell, Middleton and Millshaw.The plans cover the construction of a two-platform station as well as associated infrastructure. The platforms would be designed for six carriage trains, with space to expand to accommodate eight car trains in the future. A minimum of two trains per hour would be provided in each direction.A pair of three-storey station buildings are proposed at either side of the railway line, together with canopy walkways, pick-up and drop-off, disabled parking spaces and cycle parking.More than 340,000 trips per year are forecast to be made through the station, and it has been estimated that it could support the creation of 10,000 jobs.The council has now granted planning permission for the new station, subject to conditions, under delegated powers.West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Investment Committee approved £2.61m of funding toward the development of the station at a meeting in November.The application has been supported by Quod and ADP.