Leeds city centre retail and leisure destination to create hundreds of local jobs

Plans for 9 Wellington Place have been given the green light by Leeds City Council. The latest addition to the MEPC developed urban quarter will provide 176,413 sq ft of office and 6,851 sq ft of ground floor retail and leisure space.

Bringing hundreds more jobs to the Leeds city centre business destination, 9 Wellington Place includes the “latest in building design and cutting-edge” sustainability features, including solar panels and air source heat pumps, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of energy efficiency.

The planning approval also signifies the creation of over an acre of outdoor spaces which will include a quarter of an acre of new planting, including 39 new trees. The space will be open for both Wellington Place occupiers and the local community to enjoy, with MEPC having recently invested £1.1m into improving the development’s outdoor realm.

The news comes after the Wellington Place development was described by Leeds City Council members as a “jewel in Leeds’ crown” during a pre-application meeting earlier this year.

In a rare move for a building of this scale, councillors unanimously agreed for the planning application to be determined by delegated powers, rather than by Leeds City Council’s planning committee. The determination has now taken place, with final permission granted.

Paul Pavia, commercial director at MEPC, commented: “We are delighted that Leeds City Council has approved the 9 Wellington Place development. At MEPC, we pride ourselves on building to the highest standards of design and sustainability, and 9 Wellington Place is a shining example of this commitment.

“Alongside 11 and 12 Wellington Place, it will be one of the most sustainable buildings in the UK, with its carbon emissions rate set to be 35 per cent less than the standard building regulations target emissions rate, and an additional 15 per cent less than the local planning requirement.

“We’ve been seeing high levels of demand for top-quality office space that puts sustainability at its heart, so are very glad to be able to meet the needs of the region’s business community by delivering 9 Wellington Place.”

Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, added: “The development of Wellington Place and its part in the wider regeneration of the West End has been critical to Leeds’s continued growth as a major centre for employment at the heart of the UK, as well as our post-pandemic recovery.”

By Matthew Neville – Correspondent, Bdaily

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