Work is underway on the next stage of a major project in Leeds city centre Aire Park will span 24 acres of the city’s South Bank, and will create a vibrant new district which will be home to over 11,000 workers and up to 3,000 residents.
Centred around an expansive eight-acre public park, Aire Park will also provide one of the largest new city centre green spaces in the country. The project is set to be completed by the end of this year.
The latest phase will see the construction of a new seven-storey, commercial building, boasting 75,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, and almost 7,000 sq ft of flexible ground floor retail and leisure space. Located on the corner of Waterloo Street and Hunslet Road, the new landmark building will act as a gateway to Aire Park on the approach from Leeds train station and the city centre.
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The site, which will include the city’s newest commercial district with over 1 million square foot of grade will include a sustainable office space, as well as a 200-bed hotel, which will reconnect the former industrial site with the city centre. The news follows the successful structural completion of the first 200,000 square foot of commercial and 20,000 square foot of retail space at the site in February of this year.
Designed by architects Cartwright Pickard, the building has sustainable construction and occupier wellbeing at its heart, in line with Vastint UK’s development ethos of creating a welcoming, inclusive and vibrant community. Simon Schofield, Head of Development at Vastint UK, said: "With works beginning on our third commercial building, Aire Park is truly becoming a reality.
"Leeds’ reputation as a fantastic place to live and work has been widely documented, and we’re pleased to be playing our part in this by not only driving further inward investment, but creating a brand-new urban district specifically designed to prioritise healthy lifestyles and active participation in nature.
"As a long-term developer, we’re looking forward to seeing the development thrive over the coming years, and to working with a number of key stakeholders including Leeds City Council to improve connectivity, develop sustainable transport links, and overall help an unrealised area of the city centre to reach its full potential."
Peter Cartwright, director at Cartwright Pickard, added: "This is a new generation of office building for Leeds, designed to enhance wellbeing and productivity, as well as to strengthen a sense of place. Providing sweeping views across the city and a strong visual connection to the greenery of Aire Park, it seamlessly combines modern methods of construction with details which reflect the heritage and craft found historically in Leeds.
"Once complete, the latest phase of the development will make a valuable contribution to the townscape by shaping a key entrance into Aire Park from the city centre, while bringing the public realm at Tetley Triangle to life."
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: "It’s really exciting to see the progress being made at Aire Park, with the plans for its latest building being a great example of the bold thinking that is driving both Vastint’s work on this new urban district and the regeneration of the wider South Bank. The ongoing development of Aire Park complements wider transformative work spearheaded by the council near the site, including the installation of the new David Oluwale Bridge, improvements to Crown Point Road and the creation of additional green space at Meadow Lane.
"We want Leeds to be the best possible place to live, work and visit, and projects like Aire Park will help us achieve that aim by supporting inclusive growth through the provision of new homes, jobs and opportunities for all. It’s also heartening to see the importance that has been attached to the use of sustainable construction methods in a building that promises to be another fine addition to the Leeds skyline."
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