Developer and Asset Manager, MEPC, has unveiled its newly approved masterplan for the next phase of Wellington Place, following the granting of permissions by Leeds City Council.
This major city centre commercial development, which is currently home to over 30 businesses, including: Sky Betting & Gaming, Shulmans and HMRC – currently provides in excess of 860,000 sq. ft. of grade A office and retail space – has received permission for six further development plots, three of which will have frontage to the River Aire.
Set on the west side of the development, phase two will see the addition of 830,000 sq. ft. of Grade A office space and 250,000 sq. ft. of residential, which will provide space for 200 housing units, comprising of one, two and three-bed apartments all set in a carefully curated public realm.
The confirmed plan will also see the addition of a 50,000 sq. ft. of retail, health and community facilities, plus a 230 bedroomed hotel – as well as a multi-storey car park, with a capacity for up to 500 spaces, featuring car share and accessible spaces, plus electric vehicle charging points.
When complete, Wellington Place will become one of the largest city centre regeneration projects in the region – a place where over 16,000 people will work and representing a total investment of £600 million in the city of Leeds.
The site will boast a series of interconnecting walking routes to improve links with the wider community – as well as high-quality public realms with new open spaces at Viaduct Square and a pedestrian riverside walk.
The first building to break ground as part of phase two is programmed to be 12 Wellington Place, with work due to begin early next year. This will be the tallest building in the development at ten stories high, offering a mix of office, retail and leisure space. Key features proposed within the final planning application include a roof terrace, metallic bronze façade and the planting of multiple groves and avenues of trees around the perimeter, promoting the development’s commitment to offering green space to all its customers.
Paul Pavia, Head of Development at MEPC, said:
“It’s fantastic news that we’ve been given approval for the updated plans for the second phase of the Wellington Place development. The site has already had such an incredible social and economic impact on the Leeds city region, with an investment of over £300 million to date and almost 5,000 people already working at the development.
“We can’t wait to extend the excellent facilities making a transformational change to peoples work/life balance focused on wellbeing animating the ground floor and rooftop spaces to benefit the Wellington Place customers and surrounding community.”
“The response we’ve received on the Wellington Place development has been incredible and we’re proud that we’ve played a major role, and acted as a catalyst, in the ongoing regeneration of the West End of the city. Phase two is the next step in creating a multi-use hub – providing a mix of office, residential and leisure space.”
Oliver Freer, Director of Planning and Development at CBRE Limited, added: “CBRE is delighted to have secured planning permission on behalf of MEPC and its investors for the next phase of the Wellington Place masterplan. This is an exciting time for this nationally significant development, and we look forward to seeing the detailed proposals come forward for the remaining plots which will mark the completion of the development.”
Meanwhile, further exciting work continues across the existing Wellington Place development, with 7 and 8 Wellington Place nearing completion and work expected to finish at the end of 2019. 4 Wellington Place is currently under construction, due for completion Q4 2020 and is 85 per cent pre-let to The Stars Group, with only 22,000 sq. ft. of retail space remaining.
