December trading figures for most stores at The Springs in Thorpe Park, Leeds, showed a marked increase year-on-year since the park first opened five years ago. However, trade increased significantly in December 2022 compared with the previous year, in some cases by more than 50 per cent. The 7.5km East Leeds Orbital Route (ELOR), which opened on August 22, 2022 and is said to be the biggest infrastructure project undertaken by Leeds City Council for 50 years, since the completion of the Leeds Inner Ring Road, has become the new outer ring road in north-east Leeds. It was built to ease congestion in existing residential areas across Cross Gates, Seacroft and Whitkirk, as well as support the growth plans for the city. Rachel Vickers, senior commercial manager at Scarborough Group International, which built The Springs with funding partner Legal & General Capital, said: “We already have a strong onsite business community of around 5,500 people as well as the local East Leeds community, but there is no doubt that the new ELOR has opened up the The Springs to a wider catchment. “When we started phase two at Thorpe Park Leeds, a significant part of our commitment was to improve infrastructure through delivering the Manston Lane Link Road, a new railway bridge and considerable public realm as the enabling works for ELOR. "Our commitment continues as we look to progress construction of state-of-the-art business accommodation, a dedicated railway station, an adjacent industrial and logistics park, and even more green spaces. "Over the next five years we anticipate that the onsite community will at least double.”