Minister for Regeneration visits Merchant Gate

Wakefield’s regeneration got a boost on 9 April when the £140 million Merchant Gate development was visited by the Minister for Regional Development, Rosie Winterton.  Mary Creagh, the Labour Parliamentary candidate for Wakefield, invited the Minister to see one of the most important City Centre development sites in the Yorkshire region.

£15 million has been invested in phase one of the Merchant Gate project by Wakefield’s Labour Council, Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund along with £30 million from the private sector.  It is being delivered as one of only 7 developments nationally by the Government’s English Cities Fund.  Local and national government is working with private investors to provide several office blocks, 350 residential units, small scale retail and restaurants, public squares and piazzas, and a 150 bed hotel.  

This week a new section of the Emerald Ring (the city's inner ring road) opened.  It provides access to the development and a new 1,500 space multi-storey car park adjacent to the rail line will open next month. 

Mary Creagh said “This project will be a real boost to Wakefield’s economy and is helping us emerge strongly from recession.  We were pleased to meet the site manager and hear about the 110 construction jobs and apprenticeships that this work has created.  This development, together with Trinity Walk, and the new Hepworth gallery, points to a bright future for our city.  People who talk our city down should think again and look at this fantastic project in the city centre.”