Details of large mixed use development revealed for disused site

The team behind an ambitious project for the former Kays Catalogue warehouse in Holbeck, Leeds, has revealed details about what it intendeds for the site.

Developers Westrock/Platform want community feedback on their emerging plans to transform the land, which has been vacant for over a decade. Their proposals feature:

• About 1,200 new Build-to-Rent and market sale residential apartments, spread across six new buildings ranging in height from 10 to 27 storeys.
• Two new purpose-built office blocks of five to seven storeys.
• Over 1.5 acres of public open space.
• The retention and refurbishment of the historic Commercial pub.
• New commercial ground floor spaces for cafés, shops, restaurants and amenities.

Platform acquired the eight-acre site fronting Sweet Street West from Burberry in 2021. Since then, it has been working with a Leeds-based team to develop a masterplan for this land.

The business says the site has the potential to help knit together the established residential areas of Holbeck with the rapidly changing South Bank area and to play a key role in social, economic and environmental regeneration.

At the heart of the design is a network of new public squares, designed t provide a fitting setting to historic buildings on the edge of the site such as the Commercial pub and the former Holbeck public library.

The Commercial pub has a long connection with Leeds United and the legendary footballer Peter Lorimer. Platform says it plans to retain and refurbish the venue and to return it to active use.

Platform development director, Matt Willcock, said: “Holbeck is an area with huge potential and we think this is exactly the right location for a sustainable new community of homes and businesses, with great connectivity to the city centre.

“We have designed an environmentally-conscious scheme which we think will deliver considerable benefits to the local area and the city as a whole, but we’re still deciding how some of the spaces should be used. As part of our consultation, we want local people to tell us what they want to see.”

Following the consultation, Platform will look to finalise the proposals and submit a planning application in late spring. Subject to securing planning permission, construction could get underway in early 2023 and take around five years to complete.

The project team includes DLG Architects (Masterplanners) LDA Design (Landscape Architecture) and Zerum (Planning Consultant).