Green light for 300 new homes in Leeds
LEEDS City Council has approved plans to build 300 new homes at Thorpe Park Leeds, the mixed use business development owned by Kevin McCabe’s Scarborough Group International (SGI).
The homes, which will mainly be houses with some apartments, will be built on a 17.7 acre site in the north part of the development. SGI will now seek a housebuilder partner to deliver a high-quality scheme.
SGI has started the initial phase of ground works at Thorpe Park Leeds in readiness for the development of the shopping and leisure park, and the first phase of the East Leeds Orbital Road, connecting the M1 to north-east Leeds.
It has also appointed Leeds-based, GMI Group, as strategic construction partner in preparation for the development of the remainder of Thorpe Park Leeds.
Thorpe Park Leeds currently comprises nearly 800,000 sq ft of accommodation, including 600,000 sq ft of business space and a hotel. In addition to the new housing consent, SGI has planning permission to add up to 935,000 sq ft of office space (reduced from 1.1 million as a result of the residential consent), just under 200,000 sq ft of retail, up to 175,000 sq ft of leisure space, including hotels and sports facilities, and 45,000 sq ft of cafes, bars and restaurants. The end value of the remaining development is expected to be in excess of £400m.
The scheme also features 25 acres of parkland and green space, which will run through the site to link with Green Park, the new 113-acre public park to the west of the site, and which is being brought forward by SGI in conjunction with Leeds City Council.
The East Leeds Orbital Road is a key piece of road infrastructure which links the north east Leeds area and the ‘East Leeds Extension’ housing allocation, to the M1. The road crosses Thorpe Park Leeds, with SGI delivering its first section to Manston Lane along with the first phase of the Thorpe Park development. This will have a transformational effect upon the accessibility and traffic management in the area and will enable the development of up to 7,000 houses.
Thorpe Park Leeds is expected to create up to 13,000 jobs, including 6,500 local employment opportunities for the Leeds city region.
Mark Jackson, consultant to SGI, said: “This new residential planning consent is a key element of our strategy to develop Thorpe Park Leeds into a truly unique and forward thinking mixed-use community, combining business with retail and leisure space and homes.
“We have made significant progress in bringing forward the commercial development and are in advanced discussions with a number of retailers. We are also working up plans for an early start on a 30,000 sq ft office building at the Eastern Gateway to the site.”
