Plans for a 19-storey hotel and two new office blocks to be built next to Leeds’ Bridgewater Place have been submitted.
The old Lloyd’s Banking Group building on Water Lane in Holbeck could be redeveloped. The plans would see a "high-quality, mixed-use" development created alongside a new public green space, according to Southside Leeds, who are behind the proposals.
The idea in principle was given positive feedback from members of a Leeds City Council plans panel last May, with the building having been empty since it was sold in 2021. Southside had originally indicated a desire to build four office blocks, but appear to have now scaled back that ambition.
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Under the current plans, the two office blocks would be 11 and nine storeys high, respectively, while the hotel would have space for 205 bedrooms. In their planning application, the developers said: “The creation of a high quality, mixed-use development set within a vibrant new public realm is at the heart of these proposals, creating a new destination for the city centre with strong brand identity.
The developers also said the scheme would “support a growing community and encourage employment growth ” in the area. Documents attached to the application also said Leeds Civic Trust had been consulted before the plans were submitted.
Although the trust is reported to have “accepted that the site is ripe for redevelopment and the mix of uses is appropriate,” it has raised concerns over the overall size and scale of the buildings. The developers insist that the height of the buildings was deemed to be acceptable by council officers when discussing the plans before submission.
A final decision on the scheme is likely to be made later this year.
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