Contractor revealed for £350m city district regeneration
The developer CEG has named a contractor for phase one of its £350m developments in the South Bank, Leeds.
The news of BAM Construction’s appointment was announced yesterday evening at the launch of Temple. When complete, Temple will comprise a new district within the city centre, playing an important role in regenerating this part of Leeds.
BAM is due to start building the offices at Globe Point in early 2020. A second office building, which also already has detailed planning permission, could be brought forward at the same time, with agents Fox Lloyd Jones and Knight Frank now identifying occupiers.
This second property would feature 138,168 sq ft of space, with ground floor retail and leisure provision.
CEG has outline planning permission for additional development of up to 1.1m sq ft of offices, shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, hotel and up to 750 new homes. This would include outdoor plazas and green spaces.
The overall scheme was launched at a well-attended gathering in the Leeds Hilton Double Tree Hotel yesterday evening.
Guests had a chance to “visit” Temple Mill using virtual reality headsets, thanks to design and engineering firm Arup.
They were addressed by CEG Development Director Nick Lee, CEG Head of Strategic Development David Hodgson, and Leeds City Council leader Councillor Judith Blake.
Lee said: “Temple will reconnect Holbeck with the heart of the city. It captures John Marshall’s pioneering and innovative approach and, as this area was instrumental in Leeds’s industrial revolution, shows how it can set a benchmark for the city’s development as it moves south.
“This first phase of Temple will offer the highest quality working environment.
“Having secured the best Commercial Workplace in the UK award at Kirkstall Forge, we intend to harness CEG’s understanding of what our customers need for their business to thrive and ensure we yet again deliver that in a contemporary, flexible and unique way.”
Hodgson emphasised CEG’s long-term commitment to this part of Leeds, explaining how the developments would improve connectivity between the South Bank, the city centre and Leeds Railway Station.
Cllr Blake said: “The South Bank is probably the largest area of regeneration in Europe at the moment. The potential here is huge.
“By unlocking the massive economic potential of this historic area, we can double the size of our city centre, connect our communities, bring thousands of new jobs and opportunities to Leeds and create a diverse and vibrant new hub for people of all ages and abilities.
“The Temple area will be a pivotal part of this ambition, bringing together the best of Leeds’s storied industrial heritage with modern, state-of-the-art design and innovation.
“We’re are excited to be supporting this development and look forward to working with CEG and our partners to make this vision a reality.
“The scheme recognises that this part of Leeds was the beating heart of the Industrial Revolution in the North. We have the opportunity to put the South Bank back to where it needs to be – right in the centre of Leeds.”
Stressing the importance of being inclusive, she added: “Yes we want people to come to Leeds, we want businesses to thrive and to have the jobs for the future developed here.
“But we also want people in Leeds to recognise that they have a responsibility to reach out to people in our communities who are not benefiting from the success which many of our businesses are creating.”
BAM is also behind two current schemes for Leeds University, and the remodelling of the Yorkshire Playhouse.
Internationally the company is 150 years old this year. It delivered its first project in Yorkshire in 1933, the massive Thorpe Arch munitions factory, and opened a permanent office in Leeds in 1966.
Commenting on the Temple project, John Phillips, Director of BAM Construction in the North East, said: “This is an imaginative and bold scheme and any contractor would be excited to be involved with it.
“It’s great to see the regenerative ambition and for us, as a historic contractor, the respect shown to the region’s industrial past is inspiring. BAM is all about building considerately and using our opportunity to enhance lives and we will bring our modern attitudes and technical capabilities to the table and look forward to working with our partners.”
Stirling prize winning architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios is working with CEG to masterplan Temple.
