Councillors consider plans for ice rink at Elland Road, Leeds

Proposals to build an ice-rink at Elland Road will be considered by senior councillors next week.

At a meeting of Leeds City Council’s executive board on Wednesday 22 July, councillors will consider an approach from one of the country’s biggest ice rink operators to build a rink at the Elland Road site near the football stadium.

Although in it’s early stages, the proposal could help kick-start a master plan to regenerate that part of south Leeds and facilitate an early start to work on the western end of a new loop road which would relieve traffic congestion on Elland Road.

The new road will also strengthen Leeds’s bid to secure Host City status for the World Cup 2018 as it would form part of the environmental improvements needed around the Elland Road site to meet the criteria to host matches.

The ice rink operator currently operates 8 ice rinks across the UK and runs educational sessions for schools at off-peak times. The Leeds proposal would be available for ‘pay-as-you-skate’ customers and the venue could have a resident ice hockey team with up to 2000 seats for spectators.

Councillor Andrew Carter, Leeds City Council’s executive board member with responsibility for city development, said: “Although this is only a proposal, even at this early stage the benefits that such a development will bring to south Leeds and the wider city are clear.

“It will kick-start our plans to regenerate the Elland Road site, bring jobs to the area and a permanent city ice rink will fill one of the few remaining gaps in the city’s sporting infrastructure, at no cost to the council. In the middle of a recession, it is also a welcome opportunity for investment in an area of the city which has long been identified as being in need of regeneration. The proposals certainly merit careful consideration.”

If it goes ahead, the ice rink development, which will have its own dedicated parking, could kick-start redevelopment which would ultimately provide 2,750 parking spaces, the new loop road and a new bus terminus and park and ride facility.

Members of the council’s executive board will be asked to approve the proposals from the applicant and grant the company a period of six months exclusivity to progress its ideas for the development.

The full report will be presented to the Leeds City Council’s executive board on Wednesday 22 July. The meeting begins at 1pm and will be held at the Leeds Civic Hall. Advance copies of the report are available by calling the council press office on 0113 2243602.