Planning application to re-imagine Sweet Street in Leeds submitted to City Council

05 Dec Planning application to re-imagine Sweet Street in Leeds submitted to City Council

Ambitious mixed-use development brought forward by PLATFORM_ represents £500 million investment for local region

11 October 2022 – Leading build-to-rent (BTR) developer and operator, PLATFORM_, has submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council to create an ambitious 1.3 million sq ft mixed-use development on Sweet Street. The site is located in the South Bank regeneration area which is extending the city centre to the south.

Signalling long-term investment in the region, the proposed development set across eight acres will accelerate the regeneration of the South Bank area, by delivering a thriving, mixed-use quarter on a brownfield site which has been vacant since 2009.

The masterplan will deliver up to 1,350 BTR apartments, responding to Leeds City Council’s ambitious Housing Strategy 2022-27 and its Best City Ambition initiative, which seeks to improve the housing stock available across the city and improve the quality of life for everyone who calls Leeds home.

Complete with extensive resident facilities including a gym, residents lounges and dedicated co-working space, the mix of new studio, one, two and three-bed homes will appeal to a wide demographic.

The masterplan also includes 200,000 sq ft of commercial space, delivered across two Grade A sustainable office buildings, new leisure and retail opportunities, and the regeneration of the much-loved historic pub, The Commercial.

The next generation neighbourhood has been designed with green space throughout and placemaking initiatives carefully woven into the masterplan, to create a flagship destination for people to live, work and socialise.

A proposed new public square will act as a focal point and a place for the local community to gather with independent shops and cafes, whilst landscaped areas throughout the site will create an attractive environment which links to the wider community.

The site, which is approximately 10 minutes’ walk from Leeds Central rail station, provides residents with easy access to amenities including shops, restaurants, health centres and schools.

Jean-Marc Vandevivere, CEO at PLATFORM_, said: “We see fantastic opportunities in Leeds, one of the fastest-growing cities in the UK, and the South Bank area in particular. We are proud to present a transformational vision to create a community-first development that epitomises the very best of inclusive, modern day living.

“The Sweet Street development represents an exciting and evolutionary addition to our portfolio, whilst also underlining our commitment to long-term investment in the region. We are aiming to commence works to bring our vision to life in 2023.”

Matt Willcock, Development Director at PLATFORM_, said: “Intrinsic to our design has been positive collaboration with Leeds City Council and stakeholders, including Leeds Civic Trust and the Holbeck Neighbourhood Forum. This has helped us to carefully shape our proposals to ensure that the scheme responds to the requirements of the city and enriches existing neighbourhoods, helping to futureproof housing options and aid economic growth.

“As one of the first BTR developers and operators to launch in the UK, PLATFORM_ has a strong track record of delivering quality residential schemes across the country. We now hope to take this experience forward to successfully deliver a sustainable community in the heart of Leeds that will be enjoyed for generations to come.”

The comprehensive energy and sustainability strategy, that combines renewable energy sources, smart in-home technologies and energy efficient heating and lighting systems will help to create a sustainable, low carbon development that supports the city’s ambition to become net zero carbon by 2038. PLATFORM_ is targeting BREEAM Excellent for the Grade A office buildings.

It is expected that the development will create 360 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs during the construction phase and once completed, support more than 1,000 new FTE jobs across the proposed residential, office, retail, commercial and leisure uses.

A pioneer in BTR, PLATFORM_ has an existing portfolio and pipeline of 4,000 BTR apartments across the UK in cities including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sheffield and Exeter. For more information, visit: http://platform.life/.