Office plans revealed for seven-floor property

Yorkshire-based property developer Opus North has submitted a planning application for 12 King Street, its flagship office scheme in the heart of Leeds.

It intends to transform this 53,000 sq ft building into high quality Grade A office space.

12 King Street was bought by Opus North, together with funding partners Fiera Real Estate, off a guide price of £12m in January this year.

Built in 1989, spanning seven floors, 12 King Street will be ready for occupation next year.

The redevelopment works will include an extension to the front, a complete replacement of the fifth and sixth floors, along with the addition of a sky lounge and roof terrace on the seventh floor.

All mechanical and electrical elements of the building will be replaced. Internal strip out works began in February and are now nearing completion.

Andrew Duncan, director of Opus North, said: “The submission of our planning application to Leeds City Council is another crucial milestone in the renaissance of this spectacular building. If all goes well, and permission is granted, we will start extensive redevelopment work in July.

“Occupier demands are changing. Businesses want more choice in their workspace and more services and amenities for their staff.

“This trend is already disrupting the market in Leeds but is also opening up new opportunities to add value for us, which we will apply at 12 King Street.”

Eamon Fox, partner at the Leeds office of Knight Frank, who are joint marketing agents for the building, commented: “This is going to be a stunning redevelopment, which will be perfect for contemporary Leeds.

“People want more than just a good job and working environment. The lifestyle a particular city can offer is becoming a key component for a business in attracting and retaining staff, which is where Leeds is winning over other UK cities.

“We see now that businesses must consider the housing costs, quality, lifestyles and commutes of their staff if they are to understand what motivates them to relocate to or from a city or job. The quality and location of a building is a large part of the story.

“12 King Street, which will feature of some the finest Grade A office space in Leeds, will allow our occupiers access to an extensive talent pool, with services, design, amenities and astute leasing models at the forefront of our proposition.

“Grade A space is at a premium in the city, so we expect huge interest in this iconic building.”

Paul Fox, director at joint marketing agents Fox Lloyd Jones, said: “This will be one of the most significant office redevelopments in Leeds over the next 12 months and we are thrilled to be part of the team.

“This is a striking landmark building in the heart of the city’s professional core and we look forward to repositioning it for delivery next year.”

A number of Yorkshire professional services teams will be working on the renovation of 12 King Street, including architects DLA, quantity surveyors Gardiner & Theobald, engineers Curtains, M&E consultants MRB and property consultants Knight Frank and Fox Lloyd Jones.

The main contractor will be named shortly.