Leeds MP and Chancellor Rachel Reeves says Government will support Leeds United's Elland Road expansion plans

Leeds West and Pudsey MP and Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Government will throw its backing to Leeds United’s plans to expand Elland Road.

Earlier in the year, the club received planning permission for the project, which will see the North and West Stands expanded, making Elland Road the seventh-largest ground in England holding 53,000 fans.

The land around the south Leeds stadium will also be redeveloped as part of a wider regeneration project, which will see 2,500 homes built, along with shops, hotels and community spaces.

Rachel Reeves said she sees major sporting projects like this as playing a key role in driving economic growth, acting as a catalyst for investment and bolstering the UK’s global appeal.

The Chancellor, whose Leeds West and Pudsey constituency is only a few miles away, said: “We’re backing stadium regeneration plans, like at Elland Road, to deliver new homes, business opportunities and public spaces in Leeds and beyond.”

Ms Reeves previously met senior Leeds figures at the Treasury in No11 Downing Street to discuss the investment.

She revealed that the Government was setting up a Stadium Regeneration Accelerator, which will be a cross-Whitehall programme to work with clubs on their expansion plans.

It will not provide funding directly, however it will help unlock opportunities for large-scale housing delivery, jobs, apprenticeships, transport improvement and community sports facilities.

The Department of Culture, Media and Sport will also work alongside the Treasury and the Housing Ministry to unlock barriers to development.

It comes with Leeds’ development partner, the Lowy Family Group set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin on Tuesday, committing to working together on the Elland Road regeneration project.

In particular, they will be focusing on the West Yorkshire mass transit project, with one of the lines likely to connect the stadium with the White Rose Centre and the city centre.

Peter Lowy, a principal at LFG and a Leeds United director, said: “The stadium redevelopment is an important catalyst for the wider regeneration opportunity around Elland Road, creating the potential for new homes, jobs, public spaces and long-term investment in Leeds.

“Mass transit connectivity is fundamental to unlocking that future potential and supporting the continued growth of both the club and the city.”

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters urged support for transport and community infrastructure around redeveloped stadiums.

He said: “Football clubs across the country are important institutions in their communities.

“The stadium investment pipeline across the Premier League now amounts to an estimated £5bn, with a number of clubs actively considering significant additional projects.

“Developing partnerships to create transport and community infrastructure is often vital to unlocking redevelopment.

“That will help to strengthen the pipeline of viable projects and enable faster delivery, benefiting football fans as well as local residents and businesses.

“We welcome this programme and look forward to working with our clubs, the government, mayors and local authorities to help make it a success.”