£14m leisure extension at White Rose nears completion

THE £13.7m extension to Leeds’ White Rose Shopping Centre is near to completion following a topping out ceremony for the 65,000 sq ft development.

The centre will be unveiling an 11-screen cinema, six new restaurants including Wagamama, TGI Friday’s, Chiquito and Pizza Hut, an event space and children’s area.

White Rose said that it will deliver 350 new full-time and part-time jobs to the area.

It follows previous investments into areas in the scheme, such as The Balcony which opened in 2014 introducing five new food and beverage brands, adding 20,000 sq. ft. and revitalising the design of the centre’s food court.

It was recently announced that the White Rose Shopping Centre would soon be benefitting from a rail connection to the city centre as part of £270m transport plans.

Rob Jewell, portfolio director at Land Securities, commented: “The topping out ceremony marks the team’s achievement since breaking ground in April and is an important step towards completion in just over three-months’ time.

“We are all so excited to complete this vital extension to the scheme, and look forward to opening new restaurants and the cinema next summer.

“At Land Securities, we are committed to providing customers with best-in-class experiences, and we are proud to say that – with the partnership and support from Leeds City Council and Morgan Sindall – we are achieving that here at White Rose in creating a space that fits the needs of those who work and shop at the centre, and bringing future prospects to those that live and shop in the area.”

Peter Finegan, senior project manager at Morgan Sindall said: “We are very pleased to reach topping out on such an exciting project. Our work here will leave a lasting legacy, providing a platform for retail and leisure-focused businesses to establish themselves in one of the most popular shopping destinations in the North.”