The City Centre Urban
Design Strategy (CCUDS)
explores the character of the
streets, spaces and buildings
in Leeds City Centre. It is a
response to national and local
policies and initiatives to
enhance the local distinctiveness
of our towns and cities.

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CCUDS exhibitions have been on display in the Planning and Building Centre at
the outset of the process in 1997/8
and more recently at the Victoria
Quarter during Urban Design Week
(September 1999). Workshops were
held focusing on CCUDS in October
1998 and February 1999.

Who for?

The aim of CCUDS is to provide a working tool which can be used to encourage good distinctive design proposals appropriate to Leeds City Centre. It is expected that CCUDS will be used by architects, planners, landscape architects, engineers, artists, surveyors, developers, interest groups and members of the public.

Who by?

This document has been produced in partnership, involving an inter-departmental/multi-disciplinary team and a number of key local consultees. Local professional and interest groups such as, Leeds Architecture and Design Initiative, Advisory Design Forum, Leeds Civic Trust, Chamber of Commerce, Victorian Society (West Yorkshire Group) and the Urban Design Alliance (Yorkshire Region) have been consulted and some were actively involved.

What is the approach?

The approach has involved a cyclical process including audit, analysis and aspirations. This process has been continuous throughout each stage of CCUDS (City Centre-wide, Study Areas, and Synthesis/Strategy).
The document contains three types of work :

City Centre-wide - Strategic maps (eg. gateways, tall buildings, landmarks and views), photos and sketch examples of themes and issues, written policy and urban design principles

Study Areas - Detailed urban design maps with photographs, particular urban design issues, based on analysis by variety of participants and inter-disciplinary workshop groups

Case Studies - Some examples of good practice to test and explain the principles established, varied scale of intervention into the existing cityscape (from guardrail design to building extensions and larger site development).

How is CCUDS to be used?

It is expected that the document will be used in a variety of ways, ranging from gathering general information about urban design issues in Leeds City Centre to exploring development opportunities for particular sites.

The City Centre-wide audit and analysis, which are central to the CCUDS approach, have been based on the themes of form, movement, space and use.
Possible aspirations have been implied in this broad approach, which builds on existing Council policies and initiatives affecting the City Centre (particularly the Unitary Development Plan (modified RDUDP), the Transport Strategy and the Millennium bid). A summary of urban design principles, based on the distinctive qualities of Leeds City Centre, has been established (and reproduced at the end of this summary).

Examples of some of the distinctive qualities the analysis has identified are illustrated in this document and include the following :

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A key characteristic of Leeds
City Centre is it rich mix of
new and old architecture

Form (buildings and morphology)

• The grid iron quality of some parts of the City Centre, with short block lengths, building lines at back of footway, provide both variety and choice for the pedestrian

• The location, and general poor quality, of Leeds tall buildings

• Key building design issues such as scale, materials, legibility, views and skyline are outlined to provide a broad picture what makes the forms of Leeds City Centre locally distinctive (including relationship of new to old architecture).

The Study Area work has provided a deeper level of detail and explored the 'local distinctiveness' of individual parts of the City Centre.

The nine Study Areas are based on the Quarters of Leeds City Centre, set out in the modified RDUDP. These Quarters are implied by the predominant land use which currently exists, giving each area its unique character of buildings, spaces, movement patterns and development pressures.

The Study Area analyses comprise a detailed map produced using a standard urban design key (derived from consultation work and current good practice) and photographs indicating the main urban design characteristics of the area (based on themes of form, movement, space and land use). This has led to the emphasis of key urban design issues and aspirations for each area. The urban design principles established in the broader City Centre-wide part of the work are also important when considering development opportunities.

It is clear that 'local distinctiveness' is applicable at many different levels in Leeds City Centre, ranging from City Centre-wide to Study Areas and smaller character areas, possibly culminating in the individual street.
The processes of CCUDS have encouraged this analysis through the different levels. This has provided complementary information relating to existing strategic and detailed urban design policies and initiatives, and recommended further work (set out in the 'next steps').

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Detailed urban design maps explore issues
such as, landmarks, gateways, views,
building frontages, spaces, development
opportunities and movement patterns

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Leonardo extension

Guardrail - decorative design in Retail Quarter

Albion Street - improved street enclosure by adding floor to diminutive plinth building

Leonardo extension - positive corner / urban infill repair on vacant site (shown below)

Millennium Square - space for relaxation and activity on former surface car park site

Templar Street former Bus Station site - improve Vicar Lane streetscene, gateway image to Inner Ring road, public square, re-use appropriate existing buildings

Sweet Street site - key gateway image, quality tall building, lower street edge to Holbeck

Riverside - repair urban grain, improve connections, lively riverside, mixed land use

Southern/Motorways - larger area plan/strategy produced by workshop group to resolve the problem of the effect of the motorway on the City Centre.

Summary of urban design principles for CCUDS

Reinforce the positive qualities of character areas which contribute to their sense of place Re-establish fine urban grain where appropriate Provide for appropriate enclosure to streets and the containment of spaces Protect and enhance diversity in facade style and materials to create visual interests Encourage excellence in new design - proposals should possess consistency and attention to detail, and development opportunities should be explored in three dimensions showing the context Establish distinctive gateways to celebrate entrances to the City Centre Preserve and enhance the skyline and roofscape visible from the streets and spaces of Leeds

Optimise and develop landmarks and views to create visual interest and legibility, enabling orientation and a sense of place for people in Leeds Generally discourage tall buildings in the central area, good design of appropriately located development or re-development will be considered Ensure proposals respect views to existing landmark and distant vistas Encourage high quality new design which contributes well to the existing wealth of styles from different eras Ensure main entrances to buildings are from a street, park or square - encouraging activity Enhance and strenghten the corners of streets

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Promote street design which creates vitality, encourages movement and natural surveillance Develop a mixture of land uses at different times of a day and night. Civic/community buildings shall be located adjacent or within squares/spaces preferably with main street views Promote active frontages at ground floor Protect and enhance the dominant and ancillary activities which contribute to a Quarter's character

Promote cultural development which enhances relationship with existing and new public spaces in the City Centre Facilitate the appropriate re-use and conversion of old buildings and spaces Promote sustainable development through land use and movement strategies, the form and location of buildings and spaces, and the choice of materials (refer to Sustainable Development Design Guide)

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