Plans for £350m scheme and 40-storey tower fleshed out

Further details and images have been revealed for a proposed £350m scheme in Leeds that would incorporate a 40-storey tower which, if developed, would be the tallest building in Yorkshire.Commercial Estates Group (CEG), the business behind the landmark Kirkstall Forge project, is leading the £350m regeneration of a 5.86-acre brownfield site on the South Bank of Leeds.A residential and office scheme is envisaged for land north and south of Globe Road and Water Lane in an area of Holbeck, known as the Temple Quarter. As part of a public consultation and following a pre-application presentation to Leeds City Council, details and images of the development have now been revealed.”Inspiring architecture” drawing on Holbeck’s historic character is a central part of the developer’s vision with flagship tall buildings designed to mark this gateway arrival point to the city from the south west.To that end, landmark buildings ranging from four to 40-storeys are incorporated, with the properties designed with reference to brick mills, terracotta pottery, industrial metalwork and the history of textiles.The largest, a residential tower located between Globe Road and the Leeds-Liverpool canal, would rise up to 40 storeys tall.With a maximum height of 136.5 meters, it would become Yorkshire’s tallest building should the proposal come to fruition. Bridgewater Place in Leeds currently holds the title at 112 metres.Included within the plans are 550 new homes in a mix of one-, two- and three-bed properties, alongside 315,000 sq ft of office space which could support more than 2,000 jobs.There would also be 38,000 sq ft of ground floor cafés, restaurants, bars and other leisure spaces and potential for a new primary school.Connectivity and open space are also central to the plans, with CEG keen to make it more attractive to walk or cycle from Holbeck to Leeds City Station, while there would also be bus service improvements.About three acres of new open spaces, walking routes and public plazas, linked to the waterside is also outlined within the proposal.