Final phase of major Leeds development set for green light

A new building providing hundreds of student accommodation units and forming the final phase of a major Leeds development is recommended for approval when it goes before councillors next week (30 November 2023).Caddick Group submitted a full planning application to Leeds City Council earlier this year for Block A at the SOYO development.Planning permission is sought for the construction of an eight-storey U-shaped building.A total of 360 bed spaces would be provided, with 132 bedrooms in six-bedroom cluster flats and 228 individual studios.The development would include communal spaces such as a gym with 24-hour access, dining spaces, gaming areas and a private cinema, as well as providing a café with outside seating and a bank of accessible parking spaces.Earlier this summer, Caddick Group launched a consultation on its plans for Block A, and presented pre-application proposals to Leeds City Council’s City Plans Panel on 13 July 2023.The new application will go before the council’s city plans panel on 30 November and is recommended for approval, subject to conditions and the completion of a Section 106 agreement, in an officer’s report prepared for the meeting.The report said: “The proposals would deliver high-quality student housing in a sustainable and accessible location, with residual benefits to the area in terms of natural surveillance and creation of a mixed and diverse community of residents.”Whilst the lack of provision of a multi-storey car park is noted, it’s omission from the wider scheme is considered entirely compatible with the city’s wider aims to promote sustainable transportation and in climate change/climate emergency terms can be supported.”The project team includes ID Planning, Box Clever, DLG Architects, Re-Form Landscape Architecture, Roscoe, Tate Consulting, Richard Boothroyd and Associates, Fore Consulting, Jensen Hughes, Jameson Acoustics, Stroma Building Control, Ridge and Partners, CCC Energy and Windtech.The new plans have superseded a 610-space multi-storey car park which was previously planned for Block A. Approval was granted for this element in 2021.Block A will complete the SOYO project, which has included the construction of more than 500 new homes to date, and brought jobs and investment to the city. It will also allow the full realisation of the project’s landscaping scheme.Plans were submitted earlier this year for Block D at SOYO, with approval sought for a 291-bed student accommodation development. A round of public consultation was held in November 2022.