Key appointments made for 1,800 home regeneration scheme
Latimer, development arm of the Clarion Housing Group, has appointed JLL as principal development advisor for the build to rent and student residential assets at its mixed-use scheme on Kirkstall Road, Leeds.
JLL will also lead the search for funding partners.
Savills has been appointed as commercial leasing advisor for the residential-led development, designed by lead-architects, Broadway Malyan.
Latimer purchased the 13-acre site on Kirkstall Road to the west of Leeds city centre in 2020.
Formerly known as City Reach, the Kirkstall Road community will include a mixture of private, shared-ownership, social rented, build-to-rent (BtR), and purpose-built-student-accommodation (PBSA) as part of a 1,800 home scheme on a brownfield site between the River Aire and Kirkstall Road.
There will also be public realm and commercial spaces, a riverside ‘green corridor’ and a new footbridge to Otter Island.
JLL, supported by Savills on the commercial leasing, is working with Latimer to refine and optimise the scheme prior to launching new BtR and PBSA funding opportunities to the market.
Initial Phase One works are anticipated to start on site in 2022, with construction due to begin in 2023 comprising 205 BtR apartments, 362 PBSA bedrooms and around 4,000 sq ft of commercial space.
Alex Bright, associate director at JLL, said: “Leeds is a thriving city, boasting the third largest employment economy in the UK. It also has a mature BtR market and a growing student population – up 17% since 2015.
“As a result, demand is currently outstripping supply in the residential and student sector.
“The landmark development at Kirkstall Road will help to address these issues, delivering scale and acting as a catalyst for further regeneration in the wider area.”
Mike Briffett, Latimer’s Kirkstall Road project director, added: “We are really excited to bring forward plans at Kirkstall Road.
“The site and the location offer a rare opportunity to kickstart regeneration in this part of our city and build a sustainable, inclusive community.
“We are particularly looking forward to building strong relationships with local people and forging long term relationships with key stakeholders, who want to be part of our vision for socially responsible development.”
