Approval given to £13m college development on Leeds' South Bank

Leeds College of Building has secured planning permission for a new £13m building on the city’s South Bank.

The 5,200 sq m, four-storey building will offer a range of classrooms, workshops and a central atrium.

Designed by Leeds-based Fuse Studios, the new building will sit alongside the College’s existing South Bank campus, between Cudbear Street and Black Bull Street.

This September, construction work is set to start on phase two of the Hunslet campus and is expected to complete in October 2018.

The development is being supported by an £11.9m grant through the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal.

Once complete, the two South Bank campuses will serve a large proportion of Leeds College of Building’s 7,000 students, with the remainder attending the College’s other campus on North Street.

As part of the LEP funding, a further £1m will be spent to refurbish the North Street site.

Ian Billyard, principal at Leeds College of Building, explained: “Securing planning permission for this new building is fantastic for everyone involved with Leeds College of Building and our students.

“It will enable us to continue enhancing and improving the exceptional standards of training that we are renowned for and ensure that we remain ahead of an ever evolving and fast-paced industry.

“Our existing South Bank campus has been a major success story since it opened two years ago and has become a key landmark on the South Bank, at a time when other education providers are expanding into the area.”

Mike Harris from Fuse Studios, which also designed the College’s existing South Bank campus, added: “This is yet another major development for the South Bank area of the city and we’re excited to see our plans come to fruition.

“The response to our design has been overwhelmingly positive and there’s no doubt this development will have a positive impact on this part of Leeds, as well as becoming a superb learning resource that will help to shape the future of the construction industry.”

Roger Marsh, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), commented: “Increasing the number of local apprentices trained in construction is key to building a brighter future for everyone in the Leeds City Region.

“The new Leeds College of Building centre, in Hunslet Road, will lay the foundations for students all over the region to start their careers in the construction industry, helping us to address the skills gap in the sector and boosting our economic growth now and in the years to come.”

Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority board member, said: “The Leeds College of Building campus will help equip 7,000 students a year with the skills they need to succeed in the construction industry.

“This boost is essential as we continue to grow the Leeds economy both across the city and in what is fast becoming a thriving hub of high quality educational facilities on the South Bank.”