Plans submitted for 300-apartment Leeds scheme

Plans for a 300-apartment development in Leeds have been submitted to the city council, three months after Insider revealed details on the major scheme.The design and access statement was created by Doone Silver Kerr Architects on behalf of applicant Neighbour Group Ltd.The development would be built on vacant land at the junction of Marsh Lane and East Street, a kilometer from the city centre, Kirkgate and Victoria Gate, as well as the Southbank and theatre district.Neighbour has owned the brownfield site since 2015 and the land currently has planning consent for a nine-storey building comprising 195 apartments.The developers intend to create a predominantly residential scheme across two stepped blocks of eight to 14 storeys in height, having initially considered a tower as tall as 25 storeys.The two buildings would contain ten studio flats as well as 150 one-bed, 130 two-bed and 10 three-bedroomed apartments, of which 15 would be listed as affordable housing.The development provides up to 270,000 sq ft of residential accommodation, 2,150 sq ft of space for retail use and 4,730 sq ft for a doctor’s surgery.Residents would have access to the new buildings would include 93 spaces for cars including six disabled bays, and 339 spaces for bicycles.The scheme will also feature green roofs the terraces would be made into provision for urban agriculture and for residents to grow some of their own fruit, vegetables and flowers on small allotted plots.The site would be within the Saxton Gardens area of Leeds and less than a mile from Leeds Station, the surrounding area has undergone a significant change in character with a high number of conversions and new build residential schemes replacing former industrial land.The emerging Leeds Aire Valley Area Action Plan also identifies the site as appropriate for housing use.