The Holbeck Viaduct Project

Community led campaign moves another step forward

By Stephen

It’s been a long held ambition by the people of Leeds to transform a disused stretch of Victorian rail infrastructure into an accessible, connected green space.

The 1.6km ribbon of blueish/black brick arches will be immediately familiar to anyone who’s visited the city. Stretching South West from Leeds Station, through into Holbeck and towards Elland Road, it intersects neighbourhoods and floats above the network of streets and roads below.

Other than some structures that have carved out spaces in the voids underneath, it exists largely derelict and closed off to the public. A sprawling landmark with loads of potential and in need of a new purpose. Ask anyone and they’ll have their own “It’d be cool if…” idea for it.

92 brick arches built for the London & Western Railway in 1882 ↴

View South East from Leeds Station ↴

Vantage point of the Viaduct from the station is seen sprawing across the cities highline

The Holbeck Viaduct Project CIC has been campaigning to transform potential visions into a reality – and in September they achieved a critical development milestone, reaching their £50k fundraising target to move ahead with a full feasibility study.

These funds will allow the teams full access onto the structure to understand its condition and support a Public Consultation with communities of South Leeds – vital steps towards submitting a pre-application to Leeds City Council.

⬑ A vision for the viaduct, Holbeck Viaduct Project CIC, Edward Architects

The proposed steps up to the Viaduct, alongside cafes, are mocked up over an existing image of the Viaduct — ⬑ A vision for the viaduct, Holbeck Viaduct Project CIC, Edward Architects

The proposed steps up to the Viaduct is mocked up in 3D

From the beginning, the project’s always been very open about drawing its inspiration from the success of New York’s High Line – but doing things in a way that’s right for Leeds.

We got involved back in 2017. While we couldn’t raise our hand for any of the practical/useful hard yards like carrying out structural engineering surveys or submitting planning applications, we could typeset a bunch of h’s together to look like the Viaduct’s iconic arches. So we helped develop an identity that would reflect the project’s ambition, give it a bit of a campaigning voice and create some conversation going forwards.