New rail station and tram line could support 5,000 new homes at Southern Gatway project
Bradford council has revealed illustrated plans to double the size of the city centre over a decade with 5,000 homes and a new railway station.
The plans for Southern Gateway, which were developed by the council, the government and Arup, were showcased at UKREiiF last week.
Around 126ha of industrial and brownfield land would be turned into mixed-use neigbourhoods and new public realm, driven by the creation of a new train station, a new bus station and a Leeds to Bradford tram line that would connect the cities by a 12-minute journey.
Jamie Saunders, service enabler at Bradford council, said: “We talk about [the new rail station] and Southern Gateway as two of our seven ‘game-changers’… it’s an ambition, but it’s absolutely backed by real delivery.”
He added that the tram line between Leeds and Bradford would form the first phase of a wider mass transit system that could also connect Bradford to Manchester in 30 minutes.
In January, the government said it would make a decision on the business case for a new rail station in Bradford by this summer as part of the £45bn Northern Powerhouse Rail programme.
Bradford is the only major northern city not on a main line or directly connected to the fast transpennine routes.
Southern Gateway forms part of Bradford Council’s 2025-2035 regeneration and growth strategy.
The plan for 5,000 homes also builds on the existing 1,000-home Bradford City Village scheme.
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