Green light to turn offices into 287 student bedrooms
Plans to convert existing office space at the St Johns Centre in Leeds into new student accommodation have been approved by Leeds City Council, under delegated powers.
The scheme, brought forward by joint owners Global Mutual and Patron Capital, will see the existing office space replaced with 287 student bedrooms, arranged as either studios or cluster bedrooms.
The central courtyard of the shopping centre, currently used for car parking, will be transformed into a private roof garden.
A public consultation held in April 2024 found an overwhelming majority of respondents supported the proposals, with the majority describing the site and location as ideal for new student accommodation.
The decision to repurpose, rather than demolish, an existing building with a targeted BREEAM Excellent rating was also backed by Leeds Civic Trust.
Brett Radley, from Global Mutual, said: “We’re happy that our plans for new student accommodation at the St Johns Centre have been approved by officers at Leeds City Council.
“As demand for student accommodation grows, this development will deliver new accommodation in an increasingly popular part of the city, supporting the vibrancy of Leeds’ universities and reducing pressures on family housing.
“The creation of a new student community within the St Johns Centre will support retailers at the centre, increasing customer footfall and providing a new customer base from within the building.
“We would like to thank officers at Leeds City Council for working with us so positively on this application. We’ll soon commence construction at the St Johns Centre and look forward to welcoming the first cohort of students in September 2027.”
Councillor James Lewis, Leader of Leeds City Council, said: “This development which has now seen its planning application approved will help meet growing demand for student accommodation in this part of the city centre, freeing up family housing elsewhere and supporting retail and other businesses in the city centre.
“It’s pleasing that the original building structure of the St John’s Centre will be retained by converting offices to accommodation, rather than have to demolish the building and rebuild from scratch.”
Global Mutual is now seeking a commercial operator to develop the scheme and accept students for the 2027/28 academic year. Allsop is appointed to oversee the process and interested parties should contact either Richard Brooke or Anthony Hart.
