Architecture firm appointed to series of public realm schemes in Leeds city centre

Re-form Landscape Architecture has been appointed to a trio of riverside public realm projects in Leeds city centre.

The series of schemes are located at City Reach, Whitehall Riverside and the former Yorkshire Post site.

The 14-strong team, which is based at Tower Works in Holbeck Urban Village, produced designs for new public spaces for the City Reach project, a planned residential scheme by Residential Securities located on the former Yorkshire Chemicals site adjacent to the river.

The development, which received outline planning consent earlier this year, will feature almost 800 new homes (including 574 PRS properties), 234 student apartments and 20,000 sq ft of commercial space.

Re-form’s designs include a new riverside ‘pocket park’ as well as a series of new streets and shared spaces including urban squares and semi-private courtyards.

Re-form is also developing a landscape strategy for the next phase of Town Centre Securities’ (TCS) Whitehall Riverside scheme.

The development is already home to No 1 Whitehall Riverside and Whitehall Plaza, and the next phase includes 300,000 sq ft of Grade A offices, cafes, bars, a hotel and a new multi-storey car park.

Re-form helped TCS achieve outline planning permission for the masterplan in 2014, using its riverside location as a focus for the strategy.

The team has now been appointed to take Whitehall Riverside through the planning application process, which is due to be submitted this month.

Key elements include a stepped terrace overlooking the water which will be connected by a series of pedestrianised streets. Flood management is a major component of the scheme, and Re-form has developed a sustainable approach to surface water management including a series of ‘rain gardens’.

YP Real Estate LTD has appointed Re-form to create new public spaces at the site of the former Yorkshire Post building, which will form a major new gateway to the city.

Re-form is leading on the landscape and public realm proposals for the project which comprises a mix of commercial, leisure and residential uses, breathing a new lease of life into a previously inaccessible stretch of riverfront.

The new scheme will feature a series of open spaces including a new urban square that will be constructed over basement car parking.

Guy Denton, director at Re-form Landscape Architecture, said: “The river was once the main artery of the city, and we hope that our designs will have a rejuvenating effect; opening up the waterfront once again by creating green, well connected, social spaces for people who live, work and enjoy the city centre.

“We are creating places that attractive, but also perform an important function by contributing to flood management and increasing biodiversity.

“It’s encouraging that more public and private sector organisations are looking to harness the transformational effects of investing in high quality design in our public spaces. We look forward to working with our clients to see their ambitions realised.”