£75m arts school planned for Leeds city centre
Leeds Beckett are planning a £75m creative arts building in the city centre.
The site will house its School of Film, Music & Performing Arts, which includes our internationally renowned Northern Film School, as well as its School of Art, Architecture & Design’s fashion, if planning submitted yesterday is approved.
The 156,076 sq ft building will include a dedicated studios for fashion; performing arts and music performance; a theatre as well as a black box studio; a 220 seat Dolby Atmos cinema; a TV studio, three large film studios as well as a green screen studio; a stop motion studio and dubbing and music recording studios.
The site, located in the Civic Centre of Leeds, will be home to 1,850 students and staff, who are currently scattered across the city. It is the final phase of the Peter Downing Developments masterplan, adding to the 500,00 sq ft of student accommodation withing the central campus development,
It is being designed by architects Hawkins/Brown and is part of Leeds Beckett’s £200m campus development plan which is set to be delivered over the next five years.
A statement from Leeds Beckett said: “The Creative Arts building will provide a new city landmark, elevating the visibility of the University at this important city location and providing a resource that we believe will contribute to the creative economy in Leeds.
“The scale and stature of the building will ensure that it complements the city scape and makes a positive contribution to Leeds’ bid as the European Capital of Culture 2023.
“The building will become a gateway to the planned Leeds Innovation District, which will provide a catalyst for the productive, sustainable and inclusive economic development for the city. We intend for the Creative Arts building to be a dynamic threshold – bringing ‘town and gown’, academia, industry and business thinking together.”
