The proposed £112.1 million phase two of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme is due to be completed with the help of a two-step solution. Phase one of the scheme is already in place, offering protection for the city centre and Woodlesford. Meanwhile, phase two offers a range of complementary measures
Leeds Council has signed off a city centre planning agreement on a £350 million mixed-use development on the six acre site in the heart of the South Bank. Work is set to begin next month and it involves demolishing the former warehouse on Water Lane and preparing the site for
A planning application has been put forward to Leeds City Council to transform the former Yorkshire Post site in Leeds city centre into a new private rented sector (PRS) build-to-rent development. The project would provide 237 purpose built rental apartments for Grainger PLC, the largest specialist residential landlord in the
Specialist investor Bridges Ventures has recently had a new investor purchase a bid for a prominent office and retail building based in central Leeds, the investor and successful entrepreneur has come a long way from his roots as an Army Officer after a string of clever investments, patience and hard
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
The proposed £112.1 million phase two of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme is due to be completed with the help of a two-step solution. Phase one of the scheme is already in place, offering protection for the city centre and Woodlesford. Meanwhile, phase two offers a range of complementary measures to protect the Kirkstall Corridor which was badly hit by Storm Eva in 2015. It includes further measures up to and including the upper catchment of the River Aire. The government confirmed its contribution figure of £65 million, with Leeds City Council planning to proceed with a planning application and tenders to be presented shortly to deliver the scheme in full. It will be carried out in two parts, and will get underway shortly. Works to deliver an initial one-in-100-year level of protection will begin next year, which will then be upgraded to the full one-in-200-year level with a further phase of work after the remainder of the funding has been secured. “The Environment Agency wants to deliver the best possible flood scheme for Leeds and is working closely with Leeds City Council to make the most effective use of the funding available to us whilst exploring further options. We worked closely with the council on the first phase of the city’s Flood Alleviation Scheme, which cost £50 million and protects 3,000 homes, 500 business and 300 acres of development land,” commented Adrian Gill, flood risk manager at the Environment Agency. “Our officers have been working hard within the joint team alongside colleagues from Leeds City Council since Boxing Day 2015 and we support the two-step solution outlined by Councillor Blake. This will enable the level of protection provided to the city centre to be extended at pace to the Kirkstall Road area, whilst we continue to strive towards our ambition of providing a 1-in-200-year level of protection from the River Aire for the whole city,” Adrian concluded.
Leeds Council has signed off a city centre planning agreement on a £350 million mixed-use development on the six acre site in the heart of the South Bank. Work is set to begin next month and it involves demolishing the former warehouse on Water Lane and preparing the site for development. A programme of archaeological excavation will uncover whatever remains on the site. CEG has already invested £300,000 into securing the Grade II listed bridge which formed a historic route for the Marshall empire and will once again form a physical link over Holbeck, connecting Water Lane and Marshall Street to the new development at Globe Road. “Our proposals for South Bank bring together the birthplace of the industrial revolution in Leeds; the home of Marshall’s first two Mills, as well as the Marshalls’ last, and greatest creation, Temple Works. This is an exceptional opportunity to breathe life back into these, creating locally and nationally important iconic landmark buildings and innovative public spaces. This is not just about building on a historic legacy; it is about creating a new one,” said Jon Kenny, strategic development director at CEG. CEG’s South Bank development has received detailed planning permission for two office development with ground floor retail and leisure, totalling up to 26,100 sq m and outline planning permission for mixed-use development of up to 103,900 sq m of offices, retail, leisure, hotel, health, education and community uses, parking and up to 750 new homes, along with new public spaces and landscaping. “Many years of hard work are being realised as we launch to market an exceptional opportunity for the highest quality office developments just minutes from Leeds City Station. This, along with the retail, leisure, hotel, residential and community uses, benefitting from innovative outdoor spaces and the waterfront, will bring a strategic development of a critical mass and international standard, putting South Bank Leeds on the map as a place to live, work and enjoy,” explained David Hodgson, head of strategic development north for CEG. Overall, the wider South Bank regeneration area covers 253 hectares south of the River Aire in Leeds and it is set to double the size of Leeds City Centre, providing more than 35,000 jobs and 8,000 homes – making it one of the largest City Centre regeneration initiatives in Europe.
A planning application has been put forward to Leeds City Council to transform the former Yorkshire Post site in Leeds city centre into a new private rented sector (PRS) build-to-rent development. The project would provide 237 purpose built rental apartments for Grainger PLC, the largest specialist residential landlord in the UK, and is one of the first PRS schemes to be brought forward in the city. Architects practice The Harris Partnership designed the scheme on behalf of Sterling Investments. It will feature a residential tower stepping from 18 to 11 storeys as it approaches the River Aire. The development will provide 121 two-bedroom and 116 one-bedroom apartments beneath a bronze-clad, rooftop residents lounge, with restaurant and bar provided at the ground floor and basement parking for 72 vehicle and 140 cycle spaces. Chairman of The Harris Partnership, Paul Mitchell commented: “This is one of the most significant redevelopment schemes in the city centre and a truly exciting opportunity to create a unique and visually arresting residential building on a key gateway location into Leeds. “Our proposals for the Yorkshire Post site are designed to maximise its land potential whilst delivering a transformational impact at the top of Wellington Street. The Harris Partnership is already involved in some of the largest commercial, leisure and retail developments in the Leeds City region, including Thorpe Park and White Rose, and we are delighted to extend our presence in the private rented sector on a scheme that will go some way to help meet demand for premium accommodation in the city.” Quod advised the planning application, while Fox Lloyd Jones acted as development managers on the project. Meanwhile, the transformation of a historic Leeds building from a fire-ravaged shell to a gleaming new office block will help create a world class new gateway to the city, it is hoped.
Specialist investor Bridges Ventures has recently had a new investor purchase a bid for a prominent office and retail building based in central Leeds, the investor and successful entrepreneur has come a long way from his roots as an Army Officer after a string of clever investments, patience and hard work have landed him the opportunity to purchase the Airedale House on Albion Street in Leeds for £6.6m. Graham Goodwin has successfully purchased the 41,432 sq ft property on Albion Street, the office building sits in the heart of the city’s commercial district and was originally acquired by Bridges for £4m in 2013 via its first Bridges Sustainable Property Fund. The Airdale House has undergone an environmentally-led refurbishment and has been multi-let to a list of tenants including highstreet brands and services with companies such as Sally Salon Services, Slaters Menswear, Optical Express and The Prince’s Trust included. The building has now been bought by GM Legato Property, an investment company set up by Yorkshire-based investor Graham Goodwin. Who formed a successful recruitment business in 2002. The company now has offices across the UK based in Leeds, Birmingham and London. The company had sales of £38m and an EBITDA of £5.4 by the time it sold it’s management in 2014 in a private-equity buyout. The former British Army officer toured The Falkland Islands, Northern Ireland and Germany now has a very different life as a director of Ling Bob a developer business specialising in listed buildings. Bridges was advised by CBRE, whilst Knight Frank acted on behalf of GM Legato Property. Lloyds Banking Group provided the debt required to support the investment. Guy Bowden, parter at Bridges Ventures stated that the investment in Airedale House was an illustration of how positive societal impact and things like commercial value growth can go hand in hand.
