28-storey tower planned for city centre office building site

A 1970s office building could be demolished to make way for a new 28-storey residential tower under new proposals.Black Caviar Property Ltd is set to present pre-application plans to Leeds City Council for the redevelopment of the Commerce House site, in Leeds’ Northern Quarter, next week (6 June 2019).The site is currently occupied by a part four-, part five-storey office building built in the 1970s.Under the new proposals, this building would be demolished to make way for the construction of a multi-storey student accommodation development.The new building would comprise two stepped blocks, rising from 18 storeys adjacent to the greenspace to the east, to 28 storeys close to Wade Lane. It would be served by a courtyard to the south.A total of 362 studio flats would be created, along with facilities including a reception, gym, cinema room, study rooms and bike storage.The proposals will go before the council’s City Plans Panel on 6 June and members will be asked on the acceptability of student accommodation use, the planned mass and form of the development and whether the courtyard should be publicly accessible.Commerce House was built in conjunction with three other office buildings; Warwick House, Belgrave House and Zicon House.Plans were submitted in October 2018 for the conversion of Belgrave House and Warwick House into student accommodation, creating more than 100 new flats. Zicon House was previously extended and converted into residential apartments, known as Havana Residence, during 2017.QOne, on the north side of St Alban’s Place, has also been converted from offices to residential apartments and planning permission was granted last year for a part 11-, part 18-storey student housing scheme adjacent to Q One.