Leeds City Council Confirms £15m Funding for Two Cultural Projects 

Leeds City Council have today confirmed plans for two new cultural projects, funded by £15m from central government funding. 

Of the £15m, £10m is being provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to turn Holbeck’s historic Temple Works building into the home of a new British Library North.

The Deputy Prime minister, Angela Rayner, visited the Temple Works building alongside mayor Tracey Brabin last week. 

A further £5m has been confirmed will aid plans to create a National Poetry Centre at the landmark Trinity St David’s Church on Woodhouse Lane.

In a statement from Leeds City Council, Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said:

“The British Library North project aims to create a world-class space for learning, research, exhibitions and events that would unlock the huge potential of Temple Works and boost the ongoing regeneration of the wider Holbeck and South Bank areas.

“It is therefore really welcome news that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed that, following a consultation, this £10m of funding is now in place to support the process of bringing the Temple Works building into public ownership and back into use.

“We have worked hard in recent months with partners, including the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Homes England and the British Library itself, to make the case for this funding”

However, the announcement of new funding sits with a broader context of spending cuts from Leeds City Council, with the 2025/26 budget detailing the need to save £103.8m overall across the city. 

Leeds City Council have also detailed they need to make £273.7m in further savings over the next five financial years.

In a previous statement, Councillor James Lewis welcomed new funding for the city, but also detailed the “significant ongoing challenges” in delivering the savings required. 

The 2025/26 budget plans for the city include plans to close Abbey House Museum in Kirkstall, job cuts, and council tax increases. Plans have also been announced that Leeds’ Child Bereavement Support Service is set to cease at the end of February as part of Council budget cuts. 

The financial pressures on the council have been cited as a result of significantly increased costs to provide services and rising demand, especially in social care for vulnerable children and adults.