McLaren Living has submitted plans for Wellington Square, a mixed-use development of build-to-rent homes and commercial space in Leeds City Centre.
The new neighbourhood, designed by Glenn Howells Architects, will transform the 2.47-acre site into a thriving urban quarter, providing high-quality new homes alongside innovative workspace that ties in with Leeds City Council’s Innovation Arc vision, establishing the area as a world-class hub for research and innovation.
The plans see McLaren Living deliver 464 build-to-rent homes in a 45-storey building while McLaren Property will bring forward 364,000 sq ft of commercial space across two 14 and 15-storey buildings.
A new public square will lie at the heart of the scheme, designed to connect the neighbouring developments and create a vibrant community in the West End of Leeds, providing public realm and green amenity space for residents, workers and the wider community.
Matthew Biddle, managing director of McLaren Living, said, “It is fantastic to continue to work with Leeds City Council and we are excited to share our plans for a landmark development for the city.”
“Wellington Square will be a sustainable, permeable and vibrant new neighbourhood for the West End of Leeds, with placemaking and sustainability at its heart. We will be delivering much-needed high-quality homes to Leeds, while providing new public realm and space.”
Tom Gilman, regional managing director of McLaren Property, said, “Leeds is a rapidly growing city, with a strong reputation in financial and business services. The City is fast becoming a headquarters location and our plans will bring forward green, best-in-class, innovative commercial space, with health, well-being and sustainability at the forefront, creating workplaces where people gather, collaborate and thrive.”
The build-to-rent phase will have residential amenities on the ground and first floor, as well as a sky lounge with panoramic views from the 45th floor along with flexible ground floor uses to activate the public realm and new public space. The office buildings aim to set new standards for workspace in the region and will include communal and private south-facing terraces at various levels. The new office space will support the local economy and workforce by providing up to 3,500 new jobs.
The plans will deliver high-quality, sustainable and energy-efficient office buildings through design and construction, targeting the highest standards such as BREEAM outstanding and Nabers 6*. The residential building will benefit from 100% electrical heating, high-efficiency energy systems, photovoltaics and mechanical ventilation, helping contribute towards the ongoing decarbonisation of the grid.
