| Monk Bridge Viaduct Garden | |
| Type: | Elevated urban linear park; public park |
| Location: | Leeds, West Yorkshire |
| Coords: | 53.7943°N -1.5595°W |
| Status: | Grade II listed |
The Monk Bridge Viaduct Garden, initially marketed as the Viaduct Urban Garden, is an elevated park and garden in Leeds, England. The garden or park is located on top of the Grade II listed viaduct.
The park was completed in 2023, after it was converted from a disused railway viaduct.[1]
The Monk Bridge viaduct on which the park is located was constructed in the 1800s, presumed to be around the same time as the opening of the Leeds Central railway station in 1854. Leeds opted to close one of its central train stations in 1961 and amalgamated all the rail to Leeds railway station, which is now the only central railway station in Leeds. Leeds Central was then demolished years later, its site has now become the business district and public square, Wellington Place.
The viaduct was partly demolished, leaving around 200 meters of what would have been around half a kilometre long when the station was in use. Leeds's south is dotted with railway viaducts, both in use and abandoned. Following completion of New York City's High Line, a greenway was suggested on another viaduct, but construction is yet to start on that project.[2] Meanwhile, a nearby developer purchased a much shorter disused viaduct, which has now become the Viaduct Urban Garden.[3]
The design of the new Viaduct Garden was carried out by Ares Landscape Architects, as part of the adjacent residential development of The Junction.
Work on converting the viaduct began in 2022 and opened the first phase of the park in 2023.[4] [5] When the park opened it became the first elevated park in the county of Yorkshire.
The park is accessed to the west of Wellington Place, a public square in Leeds' west end. A new stairwell and lift were constructed on the end of the viaduct for access. Other access points are likely to be available in the future as nearby developments reach completion.[6]
The Viaduct Urban Garden isn't to be confused with the Holbeck Viaduct Project, which is a much longer viaduct where proposals for over a decade have suggested the creation of a greenway running over a 1 mile in length.[7]
The old train station was located a few hundred meters from the current viaduct park as you look towards central Leeds, with the viaduct serving as the main entrance and exit to the terminus train station.[8]