Major plans for former bank head office site revealed

Plans have been revealed for a major mixed-use development, comprising student accommodation and an events venue, on a site at Leeds Arena that includes the Yorkshire Bank head office building.Pre-application proposals from Downing Property Services and Leeds City Council are set to be presented at a meeting of the council’s City Plans Panel on 2 September 2021.The plans cover two parcels of land between Clay Pit Lane and Leeds Arena. The development would involve the demolition of the existing office building and the construction of a multi-storey student residential accommodation development fronting Clay Pit Lane, Merrion Way and Brunswick Terrace; a second student accommodation building located between Clay Pit Lane and Elmwood Close; and a multi-use event building abutting Clay Pit Lane to the west of Leeds Arena.The student accommodation buildings would be developed by Downing, which is behind student accommodation at Broadcasting Tower and Cityside in the city, as well as the new Creative Arts building on Portland Way for Leeds Beckett University.The first phase of the development would be located on land to the north-west of the arena. It would comprise a 38-storey building featuring 728 student bedrooms in a mix of six-bedroom and 296 studios.The existing Yorkshire Bank office building would be demolished to make way for the second phase, comprising a U-shaped building of up to 18 storeys featuring 543 student bedrooms in a mix of five and six-bedroom clusters and 216 studios.A multi-purpose event building, located to the north of Block B, would form the third and final phase of construction. This would comprise main exhibition area of approximately 32,000 sq ft; a conference space of circa 18,000 sq ft; an 800-900 capacity auditorium; pre-function circulation space and bar areas; and supporting ancillary spaces.The venue is expected to host corporate banqueting, awards ceremonies, live entertainment, conferences and exhibitions, together with gigs and shows which require a more intimate space than is offered by the First Direct Arena. It could welcome between 100,000 and 150,000 attendees per year when fully operational.Councillors will be asked for their views on the loss of office spaces and proposed new uses and the scale of the planned development, as well as transport, green space and sustainability issues.A land deal covering the sites was considered by the council’s Executive last year.