Briggsy’s Property Blog: D-Day for Eastgate Quarters
TODAY is not only a big day for the future of a major development but also for the aspirations of this region to climb the retail ladder.
Hammerson’s Eastgate Quarters scheme goes before planning officers in Leeds tomorrow following years of work by the developer to get the project to this stage.
As our exclusive video with Hammerson’s Andrew Hilston and Joe Swindells reveals, Hammerson believes the project, which will cover a vast swathe of Leeds city centre, will take the city, and indeed Yorkshire, further up the retail rankings.
The only retail rivals above Leeds, if the scheme is built, would be London and Birmingham.
Hammerson is planning a scheme which will including a John Lewis anchor store – a first for Leeds – as well as a square at the heart of the uncovered scheme.
Existing roads would be extended and pedestrianised to link Eastgate, not just with the city centre, but also the cultural quarter in nearby Quarry Hill.
Hammerson, as Hilston and Swindells are keen to testify, have been working closely with big wigs at Leeds City Council to ensure the scheme gets through planning, tackling issues such as CPOs and relocating existing tenants.
The only question mark if the green light is given will be a start date, which the developer is unclear about.
But planning permission would certainly be another significant milestone in a lengthy journey and, with Land Securities’ Trinity Leeds scheme getting ever closer to completion, really put the city on the map.
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Speaking of Hammerson, news that its Sevenstone scheme in Sheffield has taken a further step forward is positive for South Yorkshire.
Another scheme which has been long in the making but is starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
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ANOTHER scheme which has been given a fresh air is Westfield’s Broadway in Bradford.
I blogged a couple of weeks ago about the Australian developer’s annoucement that it hadn’t abandoned the stalled scheme and noted that despite this being good news for the city, an element of PR spin seemed to resonate within their stance.
Now, further details have come out about Broadway. The revised plans will see the scheme downsized from 100 shops to 75 and its development price tag has been downgraded from £300m to £275m.
Contacts in Bradford I have been speaking to about the scheme are largely positive about Westfield’s plans, which were showcased for the public last weekend.
But like the Hammerson scheme above, until the first crane is on site both sceptical hacks like me and the general public will still have doubts.
