West Yorkshire approves £230m pipeline to drive growth and connectivity

West Yorkshire’s regional leadership has approved a £230m investment pipeline to support transformative projects across the area’s five metropolitan boroughs, aimed at boosting transport links, housing, skills and economic opportunity. The funding was agreed at a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority by Mayor Tracy Brabin and the council leaders of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

image: Bradford Southern Gateway regeneration

Mayor Brabin said the new funding will help “get shovels in the ground, boost public transport, build new homes, and back the communities and businesses that keep our region moving,” as West Yorkshire works to deliver long‑term ambition for growth and improved quality of life.

The programme builds on investment the region has already secured since devolution, and sits alongside a forthcoming £2bn integrated settlement from national government that will give the Combined Authority greater flexibility in allocating funding from 2026 onwards.

Projects in West Yorkshire’s investment pipeline include:

Bradford

In Bradford, the investment pipeline supports the City Village programme, which aims to deliver around 1,000 new homes, public spaces, shops and cafés in the city centre. Over £13m has been allocated to the first phase of the scheme.

The Southern Gateway regeneration site, a 126‑hectare area expected to unlock more business space, 5,000 homes and 23,000 jobs, will also benefit from transport and mass transit investments. Improvements to junctions, footpaths, cycle lanes and bus journeys between Tong Street and Bradford city centre have been backed with £1.3m in funding. Plans are also progressing for a low‑carbon hydrogen plant in the district.

Calderdale

Calderdale will see investment in the new Elland rail station, part of a wider £70m plan to enhance transport links on the Calder Valley line. The station is expected to improve connections to Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford and Manchester, and will be complemented by improved walking and cycling routes.

Highway improvements on the A641 corridor will support better local connectivity by foot, wheel, cycle, bus and car, and plans are advancing to develop a business park at Clifton near Brighouse with potential for around 1,300 jobs and new garden communities with over 3,000 homes. A mixed‑use regeneration of Dean Clough in Halifax is also included.

Kirklees

In Kirklees, £10.5m has been secured for the new Heckmondwike Bus Station, the first major facility for the upcoming Weaver Network public transport brand, with indoor waiting areas, accessible facilities and a green roof with solar panels.

Additional funding has been approved for walking, cycling and road improvements in Dewsbury town centre, as well as transport links between

Batley and Dewsbury

The West Yorkshire Investment Zone will drive growth in advanced sectors such as health technology, with part of the Huddersfield Station to Stadium corridor targeted for remediation and innovation‑focused development. The Dewsbury Riverside area could also see up to 3,000 new homes.

Leeds

In Leeds, backing has been confirmed for a Leeds Bradford Airport Parkway train station, improving access to the airport and supporting the airport’s Vision 2030 growth strategy. Over £73m has also been approved for improvements to road infrastructure, including bus lanes, footpaths and crossings in Headingley and Armley.

The Leeds Innovation Village initiative, part of the West Yorkshire Investment Zone, will offer new office, lab and housing space to support growth sectors such as health technology, and up to 13,000 new homes could be delivered at Leeds South Bank in the coming years.

Wakefield

Wakefield will see a new all‑electric bus depot built at Newton Bar at an estimated cost of £60m, creating a modern hub for up to 125 zero‑emission buses as part of the Weaver Network rollout.

The Ridings Shopping Centre site is earmarked for transformation to include more than 1,000 new homes alongside leisure and retail space, supported by nearly £18m in government funding. Castleford will benefit from £11.9m towards bridges, pedestrian crossings and cycle routes linking to Wheldon Road. Wakefield’s Langthwaite Enterprise Zone will receive £4m to expand office space, encouraging business growth.