The 3.8ha site is located at the southern gateway into Leeds City Centre, providing an exciting opportunity to embrace arrival into the city as well as linking the city centre with established neighbouring communities of Holbeck, Beeston and Hunslet and the emerging South Bank.
Placemaking is at the heart of the vision, alongside the desire to create public realm that brings together a network of carefully considered, locally distinct spaces and streets, each with a clear character, use, and identity. Permeability, connectivity, vibrancy, sustainability are all key to the vision, but we also wanted to make sure the design response was appropriate to the context to provide further opportunities for growth.
Over half the site is dedicated to public realm. Various greened streets provide much needed pedestrian-only routes through the village with vehicular movement restricted to the perimeter of the site as much as possible. A linear park along the northern boundary presents a lush green face to the development on arrival from the city centre and will help facilitate any mass transit opportunities being explored by the city and the wider region.
A key feature is a major new public space at the heart of the development, to be enjoyed by residents’, workers, and the wider community. Buildings frame the space to provide a series of active uses at ground level and features will be integrated into the landscape to encourage a playful village green type atmosphere. The overall concept for the landscape has been guided by the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to Leeds’s ambition to be a greener, more biodiverse, cleaner, and more attractive place for people.
The masterplan framework allows for up to 3 tall buildings on the site with heights varying from 25-45 storeys. Location and height – and the relationship between them - have been carefully considered and controlled through the parameter plans and design code to positively contribute to Leeds’s emerging skyline.
Engagement with Leeds city council and other key stakeholders has been positive and has ensured the masterplan framework delivers on a number of key aspirations including two key green corridors identified for this site. We’ve also worked with the council to develop a robust Design Code to safeguard the design quality of both the architecture and the public realm through the evolution of the build.