Listed building at the heart of new Leeds student plans

Plans have been submitted for a new 332-bed student accommodation scheme in Leeds that will include the redevelopment of a listed building.McLaren Property has submitted an application to Leeds City Council for construction of the new purpose-built student scheme and the refurbishment and conversion of grade II-listed Springfield House.Designed by Cartwright Pickard Architects the proposed development would have the listed building as the main entrance to the development. It would also house amenity and support services for the purpose-built student accommodation, including a gym and wellness area, study spaces, games room and entertaining kitchen/dining spaces, both internally and in private courtyards.Two new wings would be created to provide student accommodation, comprising 138 studios and 194 cluster bedrooms. Each wing would be self-contained with its own private landscaped courtyard, laundry, refuse and cycle provision.Tom Gilman, McLaren Property’s regional managing director, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to refurbish Springfield House and bring it back to life. The Grade II building is central to our plans and at the heart of this new and exciting student district, which is in a great location adjacent to the university campus.”We’re once again bringing forward best-in-class purpose-built student accommodation and providing exemplar and sustainable homes for students. Leeds is a thriving city and we’re pleased to be providing much needed PBSA, supporting both the universities and the city to retain and develop young talent.”We continue to identify and deliver opportunities in key university locations where there is a shortage and demand for first-class student accommodation.”The development will target BREEAM Excellent and EPC A through a highly efficient building design and services. It will also include green landscaped space, with the retention of all the existing trees as well as planting of new trees.McLaren is behind the 473-bed Leonardo & Thoresby scheme, expected to complete later in 2023, while plans were submitted earlier this year for development on a 2.47-acre site on Wellington Street, comprising 465 build-to-rent homes, from McLaren Living, and 364,000 sq ft of commercial space.The Project team for Springfield House includes Cartwright Pickard (architect), Gardiner & Theobald (PMQS), ID Planning (planning consultant), Ares (landscape architect), Roscoe (structural engineer), Atelier Ten (services engineer), Hydrock (fire/acoustics/sustainability/BREEAM) and JCA (arboricultural consultant).