UK: A £270 million development proposal for the former International Swimming Pool site in Leeds city centre has been granted full planning consent by Leeds City Council.
The 2.8-acre strategic site has been used as a car park since the pool’s demolition in 2009.
DLA Architecture has designed the development on behalf of Lisbon Street Developments, a joint venture partnership between Marrico Asset Management and Helios Real Estate. DLA submitted proposals earlier this year, fulfilling a pre-requisite that the scheme incorporates strong public realm with strong linkages to neighbouring West End sites such as Wellington Place.
Plans for Lisbon Street include two BTR towers of 33 and 22 storeys totalling 629 apartments, a 24-storey student accommodation building with 548 bed spaces, a 15-storey, 120 key aparthotel with 22,000 square feet of coworking office space and 131,000 square feet of Grade A office accommodation, along with further retail and leisure provisions.
Construction is due to start in spring next year.
The BTR residential towers will incorporate a connected ground floor space to provide residents’ facilities such as a concierge reception, coworking spaces, lounges, entertainment spaces and wellbeing centre as well as extensive cycle storage and first floor external garden terrace.
The plans also include improvements to the existing pedestrian and cycle way to the edge of the site. More than 55 per cent of the site is to remain landscaped with engaging public realm installations with a significant landscaped public square being the focus point of the scheme.
Marrico partner Mark Barnes said: “We are delighted to secure full consent for the vital transformation of this important site which has been underutilised to its true potential for too many years. These proposals play a key role in bringing more investment and growth into the west end of the city centre and complete the crucial missing link.”
“We have collaborated closely with DLA Architecture to refine our design to meet the changing needs of occupiers and maintain momentum despite current economic challenges. The Lisbon Street development will remove an unsightly site and deliver high-quality architecture and public realm, whilst creating an attractive and distinctive urban development in its own right. The scheme will reinforce the confidence in the continuing regeneration of the area, acting as a catalyst for further on-going investment and regeneration,”he added.
Mark Redfern, head of design at DLA Architecture, said: “There was a pre-requisite that we balance commercially viable accommodation with strong public realm. Our design creates a family of four different buildings with individual, contextual character but harmonised through a common architectural language with a tonal colour shift across the site moving from the Conservation area and Leeds’ traditional red brick hues to a paler, more contemporary palette towards the West End.”
