The LS10 postcode in Leeds, home to the Royal Armouries where UKREiiF will be held in the next few days, has experienced a 31% increase in active businesses over the past year, according to new research from spatial intelligence app EvaluateLocate. The district, which stretches south from the Royal Armouries along the River Aire through Hunslet, Belle Isle, and Middleton, has seen 410 businesses start trading in the last 12 months.

The surge in LS10 businesses was primarily driven by the addition of 81 new professional services providers (+20%), 67 new retail companies (+17%), 67 new firms in construction industries (+41%), and 38 new businesses in the entertainment and leisure sectors (+31%).

Furthermore, the district’s rating on the EvaluateLocate Economic Vitality Index (EVI) has increased by 4.9% over the past year. LS10 now holds an EVI rating of 111, compared to the overall Leeds rating of 95.

Adam Kirby of EvaluateLocate commented: “South East Leeds is a highly localised boom town in a city – and a wider UK economy – that needs a beacon of growth this spring. This trend shows what is already being achieved in LS10 and how that momentum can help wider regeneration across Leeds.”

In March, plans were announced for a 10-year project involving Leeds City Council and various levels of government to regenerate the city centre and five adjoining neighbourhoods. The Leeds Transformational Regeneration Partnership aims to create 20,000 new homes and will focus on areas including Mabgate, Eastside & Hunslet Riverside, South Bank, Holbeck, West End Riverside, and the Innovation Arc.

Next week, the Royal Armouries will host The UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), welcoming over 12,000 delegates. Last year, ARUP estimated the event generated a £12.1 million economic boost for the city.

Adam Kirby added: “It’s very fitting that LS10 will once again be the venue for the UKREiiF event. This highlights that when bringing forward major regeneration projects it’s important to understand local economic identity and the direction of travel for communities and businesses.

“This data is crucial for those looking to develop and invest in local communities, and is something which will become increasingly important as the Leeds economy starts to build on this localised return to growth.”