The core is for Latitude's first office; 'Red', and is being built by the orange and green HBG crane.

The main part of the bridge is now positioned alongside the river, and there are some temporary works structures set up at each end of the span. I would think work will progress rapidly and we'll see it lifted into place soon.

Yes, the Greenbank bridge will connect close to where the marketing suite is currently located. It would be useful if the bridge was developed soon otherwise the impact of the Whitehall Riverside bridge will be slightly reduced.
Speaking of which, could this be the Whitehall Riverside bridge...?

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/3630/bridge200130fx6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Im hoping this bridge is large and interesting like that rather than a boring efficient above all design. If it has an arch like that i'll be happy. It would be nice to light something like that up at night.

Progress, this a.m. on the footbridge across the Aire between Riverside and HUV:-

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d122/mpfreed/CIMG2282-1.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d122/mpfreed/CIMG2284.jpg

great pics fred it looks pretty down there

will have to take some pics on a sunny day of the whole area when the bridge is done, it will probably give a good vantage point too

Great pics, thank you Fred. Looks like another Leeds white-bridge-special going on there. I quite like them though.

Subliving.

Picture taken today:

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/2571/dsc00725bx5.jpg

Shows that the new bridge is to have an arch and are currently putting the cables along in a cable stayed style (I think) as the render shows. Are they going to use a big crane to lift the bridge into place and does it have a name? Regarding the wider development is their any indication of when the next phase will start and considering that I presume Town Centre Securities have vacated their head office at the Merrion which is currently under refurbishment could they move here perhaps? Just wish though that they would get a move on and some big company could take on the rest of the development and build a grand huge Foster skyscraper here especially as its such a prominent position.

:banana: Looks good, and quite large! Again i'd love them to light the arch up at night. Anyways it's good that a lot of people will see it from the train as they enter Leeds. Btw what is that chimney on the skyline? It ruins the skyline so much. :ohno:

Its over at the LGI I think.

Looks like a mini Millennium Bridge :)

Well, I guess the fine weather has brought out several of us snappers



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/22%20August%202007/P1010193.jpg?t=1187811936



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/22%20August%202007/P1010207.jpg?t=1187811974



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/22%20August%202007/P1010209.jpg?t=1187812006



The bridge is, of course, a fairly blatant ripoff of the "blinking eye" bridge that spans the River Tyne in Newcastle but I don't give a fig. I think it's going to look splendid!!

It does look cool, and makes a nice tradition of white bridges over the Aire, with one already at Brewery Wharf and one at Clarence Dock.

Pictures from a beautiful day last week....what a lovely bridge!

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w122/ajacks_01/123_2372.jpg


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w122/ajacks_01/123_2371.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w122/ajacks_01/123_2372.jpg

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w122/ajacks_01/123_2374.jpg
It looked from here as if they had cut a path through the wasteland at the side of the tow path......probably to link up with the next bridge over the canal?

again, beautiful day, great photos and a nice little bridge about to go in. Great stuff.

i like the breeze block footings for the new bridge, classy.

Classy bridge!

Should save a few precious minutes crossing rather than going around to the exisiting bridge!

When is it open for public access?

Seems the bridge is now in place.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/articles/2007/09/10/features_new_bridge_feature.shtml

Or maybe not...

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Leeds-bridge-has-a-very.3191249.jp

The bridge has been lifted back OUT of position this morning. Must be too short.........:nuts: :lol:

What have they got wrong? How embarrasing for the designers, something so big that hasn't gone into place correctly .. oh dear. Did it flip sideways like the one in Newcastle? it looks like the centre of gravity would cause it to tip sideways if it's not pinned down correctly, and it'll have a sliding bearing at one end and pinned at the other, I think I can guess what's happened

The article says they will have another attempt to seat it again tomorrow. Good luck to them.

What have they got wrong? How embarrasing for the designers, something so big that hasn't gone into place correctly .. oh dear. Did it flip sideways like the one in Newcastle? it looks like the centre of gravity would cause it to tip sideways if it's not pinned down correctly, and it'll have a sliding bearing at one end and pinned at the other, I think I can guess what's happened

The article says they will have another attempt to seat it again tomorrow. Good luck to them.


Spoke to someone closely involved with this. The lift was apparently a test fit before the bridge gets lifted permamently into position later. They were a bit annoyed that the YEP insisted on seeing it as some sort of a problem, when in fact it was just part of the construction process. Everything is on programme to open in November and the next stage has something to do with HV (?) cables so you won't see any pogress for while.

The YEP made it sound some kind of catastrophe. I should have known not to take any notice - that publication is not in my good books, and I've let the editors know of this from time to time.

i like the breeze block footings for the new bridge, classy.


Eat your words, mister.



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/19%20Sept%202007/19Sept2007035.jpg?t=1190235226



It's nice the way they've reused the stone from the towpath wall to create the approach to the bridge.

The crane's arrived to lift the bridge into place.

The crane's arrived to lift the bridge into place.

Bridge was in place when I went past about an hour later - looks fantastic

Bridge was in place when I went past about an hour later - looks fantastic


Sitting pretty



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/27%20Sept%202007/P1010163.jpg?t=1190927123

More of the bridge and what must be a new installation the other side of the river.



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/1%20October%202007/P1010119.jpg?t=1191320976



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/1%20October%202007/P1010123.jpg?t=1191321011



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/1%20October%202007/P1010124.jpg?t=1191321046

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/1%20October%202007/P1010124.jpg?t=1191321046


Cool. Is Linfoot attempting to be the Lorenzo de Medici of Leeds? For a guy ridiculed in the Times for his lack of sophistication, he appears to be turning into a swaggering patron of the arts.

Sod what the Times say about him, he's successful and wealthy without being a pretentious ponce.

Good on him.

Subliving.

well said subliving totally agree you dont have to act a twat to be rich but it helps i hear

bridge looks nice - rustic stone footings fit in with the wall by the canal towpath, good photos, always enjoy how relatively green and lush the riverside looks.

any idea what the green and orange HBG boxes and strange meccano tower are for. HBG built the excrable latest addition to Whitehall Riverside, so wonder if Town Centre Securities have bitten the bullet and decided to build their next one spec? Probably not. Like the funky artwork.

I felt sorry for Linfoot on the BWP Look North programme, he came across rather badly but sod it, he knows what he wants, is wildly successful and is becoming as rich as Croesus, sort of. Not everyone is a media tart or a smooth politician with a delivery as seemless as my local pizza parlour.

i was taking the train back from Leeds to Cov last month, and as the train pulled out of the station, a woman remarked to her friend on 'all the building work' that was taking place along Whitehall Road. The other woman replied with a Coventry accent (she later got off in Cov), "Well, all these immigrants coming into the country. They're to house the immigrants. They've got to put them somewhere. " :lol:

what planet do some people live on what tools some people are

If only you could buy a riverside apartment on minimum wage or less!

If only you could buy a riverside apartment on minimum wage or less!

that would be good lol

For anyone that's interested, the new footbridge is now open. I think the barriers were taken down without any ceremony last week.

Yay, i might wander on down there myself, the next time the weather's more agreeable!!!

The view back to the city station from the centre of the new footbridge.



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/11%20December%202007/11December2007015.jpg?t=1197740659

The view back to the city station from the centre of the new footbridge.



http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/11%20December%202007/11December2007015.jpg?t=1197740659

Can you imagine what this photo will look like in 4 years time with Lumiere's towers rising way above these buildings.

Can you imagine what this photo will look like in 4 years time with Lumiere's towers rising way above these buildings.

nice? :nuts:

Imagine if Whitehall Riverside ever gets completed. :ohno: (sarc)

http://img290.imageshack.us/img290/3631/whitehallriverside6ts.jpg

Anyway at least it is good news that the new bridge is open for use and is there any time frame to ever start the next phase of development as saying it takes a couple of years to build and assuming they do it each building as a seperate phase as well as allowing time between constructing new phases it would be at least 2010 by the time that phase will be completed so looking at that knowledge would it be around 2025 by the time this scheme is completed. :shocked: Surely it cannot take that long!

Why can't they develop this site to its fullest extent as already it has been almost 10 years since the developments along this road have started and has that Roast cafe oopened at One Whitehall Riverside yet?

I don't really know the answers to what you're saying but Wellington Place is meant to be finished by 2014 so hopefully that will encourage Whitehall Riverside to follow suit. All the elements of Whitehall now are office, aren't they? So there shouldn't be any Greenbank-style trouble there...

Imagine if Whitehall Riverside ever gets completed. :ohno: (sarc)

I'd rather not. Even Leeds Valley Park has more architectural oomph than this place.

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w122/ajacks_01/125_2519.jpg


http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w122/ajacks_01/125_2524.jpg

Not sure on specifics but I know a couple of the plots are due for develolment very soon. The one infront of the glass block (is it no2?) is due to start very soon and then i think no7 as well. Don't think theres any plans for the large car park at the centre in the near future though. I heard TCS may sell this onto another developer at some stage to develop.

I really want the Car Park to get snapped up, it would really help to make this area feel less dead, its probably the most soulless part of Leeds in my eyes, im not to keen on it, abit of activity and a pulse would work magic on the area!!! :)

Not sure on specifics but I know a couple of the plots are due for develolment very soon. The one infront of the glass block (is it no2?) is due to start very soon and then i think no7 as well. Don't think theres any plans for the large car park at the centre in the near future though. I heard TCS may sell this onto another developer at some stage to develop.

If true hope its a developer who is prepared to develop this end of town to a quicker extent and maybe if lucky we could see a landmark building here?

Not sure on specifics but I know a couple of the plots are due for develolment very soon. The one infront of the glass block (is it no2?) is due to start very soon and then i think no7 as well. Don't think theres any plans for the large car park at the centre in the near future though. I heard TCS may sell this onto another developer at some stage to develop.

Thank God! I was actually hoping that TCS might get fed up with the middle part (the car park) and sell it on. With Lumiere now right next door, i always thought that another skyscraper would be perfect there just to take away from the lonelyness of Lumiere. Here's hoping Kw Linfoot snaps it up from them, afterall his office is right next door, and it's in a TCS development!

Also good news to here that other blocks on whitehall are finally getting started, thanks for the news Lonely Leeds!

Well, there's a little bit of news on the TCS website



Detailed design work has now commenced for the next office building fronting Whitehall Road and we are again actively seeking tenants for this prestigious and striking building of over 150,000 sqft. Detailed planning consents has also been achieved for a smaller building at the western end of the site, comprising 60,000 sqft known as No.7 Whitehall Road.

So presumably we can expect to see this coming some time over the next decade or so.


http://www.tcs-plc.com/uploads/photographs/Whitehall%203.jpg

A nice splash of colour I think but at the same time I think I shouldn't like it.

By the way, the bridge looks so nice at night.

http://www.tcs-plc.com/uploads/photographs/Whitehall%203.jpg


Looks very attractive this does, much better than the other grey plastic buildings. It looks like it's built out of stone/concrete with some gold cladding on the right. Is gold the new grey? :okay:

That gold is probably bright yellow lol. Well it might not be... but. We'll see. Still, I like this building from the renders! Wasn't this building redesigned to be metallic clad instead of that stone/yellow though, and that overhang dropped by one level?

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=245551&page=5 You can see the new design render on this page. I like both equally; but the grey might turn out like what we know at Whitehall Riverside. However, the amount of glass, the interesting shape and the colours will balance it out, I expect.

Yeah im glad this building is coming next, it was the one that always struck me in the renders, will provide a good contrast to more of Leeds' conservative developements. Its probably my favourite developement of the whole Riverside project, plus it will be easily seen from incoming trains to the station! :)

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/7%20Jan%202008/7Jan2008029.jpg?t=1199746082

Whitehall Riverside sculpture this morning:-

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d122/mpfreed/CIMG2574.jpg

From today's YEP:


Leeds developer reports "excellent" progress

By Nigel Scott


TOWN Centre Securities, the Leeds-based property investment and development company, today reported that underlying profit, after tax and excluding disposal profits and losses and other exceptional items, for the six months ended December 31, 2007, was £3.8m (2006: £3.2m).

Statutory profit was £62.5m against losses in 2006 of £21.3m.

An interim ordinary dividend of 2.75p (2006: 2.10p) is proposed.

Over the period the business sold £27.5m worth of retail property generating £4.2m profit on disposal.

It said it had made excellent progress on development programmes, including the Eastgate Quarter in Leeds in which it is a minority partner with London-based Hammerson.

Chairman and chief executive Edward Ziff, said: "Our focus remains on improving our assets and our income through redevelopment, refurbishment and active management."


Notice that there's no bloody mention of any activity at Whitehall bloody Riverside. Do you think they've forgotten they own it?

Borrowing jimbo's photo from the WP thread, wouldnt it be great if TCS sold off the large site in the middle of Whitehall Riverside to a big developer. It would look fantastic with a couple of talls and some nice open space in the middle.

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8576/img1888mu4.jpg

Borrowing jimbo's photo from the WP thread, wouldnt it be great if TCS sold off the large site in the middle of Whitehall Riverside to a big developer. It would look fantastic with a couple of talls and some nice open space in the middle.

Agreed. i've always thought that location demands something distinctive, high or low rise.

From today's YEP:


Leeds developer reports "excellent" progress

By Nigel Scott


TOWN Centre Securities, the Leeds-based property investment and development company, today reported that underlying profit, after tax and excluding disposal profits and losses and other exceptional items, for the six months ended December 31, 2007, was £3.8m (2006: £3.2m).

Statutory profit was £62.5m against losses in 2006 of £21.3m.

An interim ordinary dividend of 2.75p (2006: 2.10p) is proposed.

Over the period the business sold £27.5m worth of retail property generating £4.2m profit on disposal.

It said it had made excellent progress on development programmes, including the Eastgate Quarter in Leeds in which it is a minority partner with London-based Hammerson.

Chairman and chief executive Edward Ziff, said: "Our focus remains on improving our assets and our income through redevelopment, refurbishment and active management."


Notice that there's no bloody mention of any activity at Whitehall bloody Riverside. Do you think they've forgotten they own it?

Never mind whether they have forgotten they own it - do you think that they have forgotten they are supposed to be a developement company?

I am no expert on their portfolio but what was the last building they actually started?

I think it may have been that office block on Whitehall Riverside; the grey clad circular one.

I think it may have been that office block on Whitehall Riverside; the grey clad circular one.

There is of course the refit of the Woodhouse Lane frontage of the Merrion Centre. Still it is infuriatingly slow regarding Whitehall Riverside and they really do need to get cracking with it especially with other large competing office developments nearby such as Wellington Place and Monkbridge Forge. Did they ever announce how long this scheme would take to complete when they announced all those years ago in the late 1990s.

I think 2006, then 2008 was the completion date. But now the completition date is 2014 (Which is what I heard back in 2006 I think).

I thought this shot of the nridge looked quite good, is there any news on how sales etc. for the proposed next phase of Whitehall Riverside is doing?

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k6/larsseelig69/ConstructionPics9-11-07142.jpg

I thought this shot of the nridge looked quite good, is there any news on how sales etc. for the proposed next phase of Whitehall Riverside is doing?


Who knows. It already gives Leeds an extremely passe look as you glide into the station. I don't think i could take much more of this development's unremitting cheapness.

It's not too bad. Just passe as you say. Granary Wharf, Lumiere and Latitude will help to draw attention away from Whitehall Riverside. Admittedly, it will still be an important part of the riverside, but I don't think it's ugly. Just boring, uncreative and cheap. The buildings where glass is used aren't bad; I don't think we should worry about buildings that will be using extensive glazing. The multicoloured building always has looked good, and I think as standards have risen in Leeds since the large-scale regeneration started with buildings like those on Whitehall, the architects will make sure their new buildings live up to the standards that have been set elsewhere in the city. The bad thing about the buildings we have is the cheap grey plastic cladding stuff and the terracotta. It seems the use of both these has been cut.

Well it really is a shame that Town Centre Securities have taken just such an incredibly long time with this development which although I agree the architecture is so sub par something needs doing as opposed to just leaving this site as a surface car park. Isn't there a rumour that when the next two phases have taken place then they will sell onto someone else who would be more willing to develop this site?

It really would be great if someone bought it for a landmark head office type development of a significant height by a decent architect and not Carey Jones. TCS seem to be incredibly conservative when it comes to actual development within Leeds with only one phase of Whitehall Riverside seemingly done in the last five years and the gradual refurbishment of the Merrion Centre being all I can think of it does seem to be incredibly sloth like regarding development and you would think they would lose out to competing developers as a result as I believe was the case with I believe Government office for Yorkshire choosing to locate at City Walk as opposed to Whitehall Riverside as they are taking such a long time.

How long has it been since the last phase was completed was it two or three years since the last part was done? Are the To Let Boards advertising the next phases still up? Do they have planning permission for the future phases for this development as surely it would require renewal by now?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/346768893_70065eac1d.jpg?v=0

Im viewing a flat at Whitehall Riverside on wednesday and just wanted to ask you guys a few questions about it. I used to live on the complex next to the IBIS Hotel but never ventured down to the area.
I chose an apartment as my current house is a bag of shite and my landlord is useless so hopefully I'll get a better service with a more professional letting agency.

What is the area like at night? Will I feel safe?
Are there any shops near the complex? I know about the coop but are there any others that are closer?
If anyone has been in what is the complex like?

Here's the link to the apartment Im interested in. Does it seem like good value to you?

http://www.cityred.co.uk/leeds-accommodation/property-details.php?BranchID=BRANCH&PropertyID=P1035&SearchType=student

That seems like reasonable value, especially when you compare it to some student halls which are the only prices i know enought to gauge against. OPAL for Leeds Met is around £95.00 p/w all inclusive, but its in a much worse location, whereas a worse hall e.g Bodington ha, is on the market for around £65.00 p/w. I think your gettin reasonable value, by no means being made a fool of, for a good relatively central location! Are you at university now by the way, are you living in private student housing?

Yeah I was gonna say the same. I don't really know much about the property situation in Leeds, but I know some student accomodation is more than that. I don't think there should be issues with safety; you're pretty much on the fringe of central Leeds- it would be a safer location than many places on the East Bank/CD I think.

That seems like reasonable value, especially when you compare it to some student halls which are the only prices i know enought to gauge against. OPAL for Leeds Met is around £95.00 p/w all inclusive, but its in a much worse location, whereas a worse hall e.g Bodington ha, is on the market for around £65.00 p/w. I think your gettin reasonable value, by no means being made a fool of, for a good relatively central location! Are you at university now by the way, are you living in private student housing?

Yeh im currently in my second year and living in a house in Headingley near the Carnegie ground paying £65 a week.
I like the area and the people I live with but not the house or the landlord. Im basically just getting ripped off by the guy and the service he provides is awful.

pretty reasonable rent on that, although if you dig around on the various property finding sites you can find a 2 bedroom furnished flat for £625 pcm in somewhere like City Island/Aspect14/Concord, or £595 pcm in Echo Central. Between 2 people that's not a great deal at al lreally.

I've had a look at Aspect 14 and most of them are between 75-80 a week.
The apartments at City Island look too small the same with Concord.
There is another option I have which is right next to Greek Street and that's £75 a week and the location is slightly better.

Greek Street seems a much better location. Property there is much better established and there are good services around. I'd definitely go with that personally.

I've had a look at Aspect 14 and most of them are between 75-80 a week.
The apartments at City Island look too small the same with Concord.
There is another option I have which is right next to Greek Street and that's £75 a week and the location is slightly better.

Noisy on Greek Street....

I didn't get the flat. Two other people were viewing it aswell and they applied to view it before me so they won.
It was really nice but looked abit worn. There was a small(ish) fag burn in the sofa and the walls had a few marks on them.

The search continues.

From TCS latest interim update. (From last week)

Leeds, Whitehall Riverside – interest has been received from potential tenants of new office accommodation

^^ suitably vague, but in keeping with TCS's non-speculative approach. Another dull grey midrise then. Woo.

A funky video showcasing what might eventually transpire at one of the vacant plots at WR. Shame about the music, but alas...

http://www.tcs-plc.com/no1whitehallroad.html

aesome video and render,the small green space looks nice to,i hope it gets built.

A funky video showcasing what might eventually transpire at one of the vacant plots at WR. Shame about the music, but alas...

http://www.tcs-plc.com/no1whitehallroad.html

I'm guessing the maker of the video drives an Audi...

That looks really classy, would be great to see it built!!!!

It seems to suggest that it will be the next phase. So hopefully when things get moving again (considering the project has been dragging on for years, perhaps not anytime soon), it'll be this building built.

i doubt anything wil get built. Its all speculative builds - and despite 4 years of being high demand for office space in leeds, tcs have refused to get anything built even though a whole plethora of new office space has been built by other developers and let out in that time. Are they mental? :yes: is it a great shame for leeds :yes:

A funky video showcasing what might eventually transpire at one of the vacant plots at WR. Shame about the music, but alas...

http://www.tcs-plc.com/no1whitehallroad.html

I like the music sounds like Royksopp.

Town Centre Securities give another entertaining reason for the fact that nothing has happened on the riverside for the last three years (from the Yorkshire Business Desk):


Town Centre Securities sits tight
18th November 2008

By David Parkin - Editor


PROPERTY group Town Centre Securities today said it had no plans to continue the development of key office schemes in Leeds and Manchester as conditions remain "extremely challenging".

A week after Hammerson, its joint venture partner on the Eastgate Quarters retail project in Leeds, said work would not start on the site before 2009, Leeds-based TCS said conditions in the property sector remain difficult with continuing falling property prices and a lack of bank lending.

TCS said that there was potential tenant interest in its sites at Whitehall Riverside in Leeds and Piccadilly Basin in Manchester but without "significant" pre-lets it would not start further development.

Chairman Edward Ziff called for the Government to support the property sector by addressing the issue of rates being levied on empty buildings.

"The threat of more business failures is constant and we are increasingly concerned about the potential burden of empty rates. Having watched the government support the banking sector, I hope that they move to ease the impact of empty rates on the property industry before it is too late," he warned.

Mr Ziff said that TCS continues to make progress with a performance in line with the board's expectations.

He added: "It is a time for consolidation. The defensive quality of our portfolio, with a diverse spread of tenants, will stand us in good stead. Our robust and secure financing arrangements continue to provide a stable foundation for our business.

"Our focus is on protecting our resources and conserving capital, to ensure that we will be ready to take advantage of opportunities which emerge as the investment and development markets show signs of recovery."

TCS has net debt of £210m compared to £212m a year ago, with 90% at fixed rates while its capital expenditure on current refurbishment projects is £4m.

In an interim management statement, TCS said: "There is no indication yet that the fall in property prices is arresting or of any willingness on the part of the banks to open for new property lending business. It remains to be seen whether governmental support for the UK banks, and similar initiatives worldwide, will stabilise the financial system; however, with the base rate cut to 3%, there is now the prospect that as financial markets unlock, recovery can begin.

"The position of TCS is unchanged. We are securely financed, and with the benefit of a number of sales in October and November, believe we are well positioned to take advantage of the attractive opportunities that will emerge as the market reaches the bottom of the cycle later in 2009. "

in Construction News, dated 20/11/08 it says under Early Planning:

"detailed plans submitted for 958 residential units/commercial units. Client: Valad Property Group. Agent: Ian Simpson Architects"

The projects value is £225m. Is the project alive and well then?

in Construction News, dated 20/11/08 it says under Early Planning:

"detailed plans submitted for 958 residential units/commercial units. Client: Valad Property Group. Agent: Ian Simpson Architects"

The projects value is £225m. Is the project alive and well then?

Where about's on the Whitehall Riverside site is this (that is unless you have mistaken this for another project elsewhere) as I thought it was Town Centre Securities developing this site as opposed to this Valed Property Group (although I once read TCS could be selling the rest of the Whitehall site to another developer considering this scheme is taking such an eon to develop)? Can't see such a large development taking place in the current economic climate which would surely be of significant height unless this plan is spread over the remaining undeveloped plots of the Whitehall site?

Dont know Val, unless they have sold it to Valad.

this is what is says word for word:

Listed under "Early Planning"

Wellington Street Whitehall Road. £225m
Planning Authority: Leeds
Job: detailed plans submitted for 958 residential/commercial units
Client: Valad Property Group
Agent: Ian Simpspn Arcitects [plus contact details]

As I say, this is this weeks Construction News, so its up to date info...

^^ I believe that's Lumiere !!! ^^

Lumiere is listed at £225m and with 952 apts, (and presumably 6 commercial units), located on Wellington St and Whitehall Rd, and the agents are of course Ian Simpson Architects.

Well spotted gertrude perkins, and thanks for posting it on here.

Does anyone know anything about Valad Property Group? This is on their website 'about' page:

'Valad Property Group is an active fund and asset manager with a focus on multi-let commercial and industrial properties. Valad has an international network of local offices managing A$18 billion of assets. Our core business is providing enhanced property returns to investors through value-adding activities. Our network of 30 local offices in 17 countries enables us to match global investment capital with real estate opportunities. Valad‘s aim is to continue to build a sustainable property business by providing stakeholders with the “value-add” that underpins the Group’s name and philosophy.'

and on their European development page:

'Valad undertakes property and development management services for its property portfolio in Europe and selected third party clients. These activities include the provision of asset management, development management, leasing and acquisition services. Valad also provides property finance for development activity across a diversified portfolio of assets. Valad receives preferred returns from providing finance that funds the development and redevelopment of properties. The joint venture financing pipeline extends throughout the UK and includes office, retail, industrial and mixed use developments.'

I think that this has just warmed me up more that a cup of hot chocolate on a winters day! Does these potentially mean that they are trying to get Lumiere back into the construction phase? I only ask this because above it says that Valad has $18 billion worth of assets, which i'm presuming is a chunk more that KW Linfoot, so surely dropping £225m for these guys ain't as hard as it would be for Linfoots? *praying*

Had a little visit to Leeds this weekend and stayed in the Novotel. Thought this would be the best place to 'aire' my thoughts.

Firstly there is some cracking office developments around here- Princes Exchange and No1 Whitehall for example. However, the architectural quality of the flats that have been allowed to be built is quite disturbing! It is a shame that Lumiere is not going to get built (?) because that is the quality of building that should have been targeted not the 14 storey sh!te, red brick, grey clad, sticky outtie balcony crap that has been put up. I assume the empty building site across from the Novotel is where Lumiere was going to be?

It is a real shame that development couldn't have continued at its previous pace because this could have been a great area to live and work, where as now it is weird, a little disjointed, characterless and scattered with surface car parks.

I lived in Leeds for a while and enjoyed living there (although not as much as where I do now). It was around the time Princes Exchange was built and I assumed the same quality would have been demanded down the riverside and I guess I am slightly disappointed with the outcome!

Anyway other positives, Plaza looked great from my hotel room window! As did the Granary Wharf development when I had a walk down the canal.

Presumably Town Centre Securities must be happy at selling off 1 Whitehall Riverside when they did. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Millions-wiped-off-landmark-Leeds.5227574.jp

Millions wiped off landmark Leeds office

http://www.careyjones.co.uk/images/upload/arch_off_lrg/1_whitehall%20riverside_image_410.jpg
« Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryPublished Date: 01 May 2009
Millions of pounds have been slashed from the sale value of a landmark Leeds office building.
No.1 Whitehall Riverside in Leeds has been sold for £37.62m, just two years after New Star Asset Management paid £60m for it.

The building's new owners are AIM-listed group London & Stamford Property.

New Star bought the 130,000 sq ft property, which has tenants including accountants Grant Thornton, law firm Cobbetts and weath management firm Newton, from Leeds-based Town Centre Securities in 2007.

Raymond Mould, the non-executive chairman of London & Stamford Property, said: "This building adds to London & Stamford's growing portfolio and combines an excellent blend of building quality, current market rent, long lease length and secure income as well as regional diversity. Given the leverage we can also apply, No1 Whitehall Riverside will give us a very good income return on our equity investment."


I guess there is no sign of anything ever occuring at Whitehall Riverside in the near future for obvious economic reasons?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2384/1935584837_925a276cd3_z.jpg

Has anyone noticed walking past No1 Whitehall Riverside recently that the distinctive ventilation funnels / pipes have been repainted grey from their original red. Wonder why such a distinctive feature has been made duller and less attractive then it was previously (not a case of a Leeds United supporter painting over the pipes is it although white, yellow and blue would be better than grey id have thought). I take it there is no update on anything ever happening with future phases for this scheme?

Out of the clear blue sky, an updated render of (part of) Whitehall Riverside can be seen on Page 5 of today's Yorkshire Post Business supplement. The caption refers to 'No.1 Riverside Way, part of the Whitehall Riverside scheme' and looks a little bit like the Wellington Place buildings - a stone/brick cube with box windows.

Profits are down at Sanderson Weatherall so there probably won't be any movement for a while yet.

The architects are Allies Morrison (i think) of Mint Hotel fame.

They are possibly the most booring buildings i've ever seen. Surley something with a little flair is possible?

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/webimage/nlyb_19_05_11_bizwhitehalljpg_1_3394414!image/32877719.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_595/32877719.jpg..

I like them.. they look high quality and they are offices, low-rise at that. Besides anything is better than the dross surrounding it.

I like them.. they look high quality and they are offices, low-rise at that. Besides anything is better than the dross surrounding it.

It's a style of building I like. Simple and sleak, but a suggestion of a classical colonnade. They fill in the area without standing out, I suppose, but the purpose of many buildings is just that. Not everything can be flashy and these would do a very good job here.

A bit of landscaping wouldn't go a miss, though (ie, trees all along the river front).

The darker one is familiar. Can anyone remember if it has already appeared on this thread?

Those Whitehall Riverside Buildings look rather nice and sleek to me imo (surely of the sort which will attract potential occupiers) although I take it will be an eon before they ever get constructed.

Like the last three posters, I think these look like quality buildings, especially in their use of colonnades. Allies and Morrison did the Latitude building further up Whitehall Road and I'm a big fan of that.

Much as I enjoy quirky architecture, I would rather have these calm, almost classical buildings than some of the meretricious dross we've seen in recent years.

I think I agree. They remind me of No.1 Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester. Nothing ground breaking, but at least it's something- and I think agree with aviator's statement.

If this design means it is more likely to get built, so be it, because that part of Whitehall is crying out for development, being an awkward undeveloped wasteland between several new builds.

I think I agree. They remind me of No.1 Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester. Nothing ground breaking, but at least it's something- and I think agree with aviator's statement.

If this design means it is more likely to get built, so be it, because that part of Whitehall is crying out for development, being an awkward undeveloped wasteland between several new builds.

Not that I think that the bulidings in Piccadilly Gardens are bad, but who the fuck allowed somebody to put them there????

(off topic, I know)

looks like the Premier Inn is set to be built on the grass in front of No 1 Whitehall Riverside.

looks like the Premier Inn is set to be built on the grass in front of No 1 Whitehall Riverside.

Next to the Novotel (extreme right of photo)? I sincerely hope it blocks views of West Point.


http://*************************/images/jpgs/leeds/leeds_novotel_aw300509.jpg

looks like the Premier Inn is set to be built on the grass in front of No 1 Whitehall Riverside.

Is there any source or renders for this particularly showing how high it will be or whether it will be built on it's own or alongside anything else?

Still it would be good news to finally see some further construction at the long protracted Whitehall Riverside development. Guess it is good news of sort to see two Premier Inns developed at the same time (at Hepworth Point on Clay Pit Lane across the road from the Leeds Arena site and now on Whitehall Road presumably for close proximity to Leeds station and the business quarter.

I presume there hasn't been any further news on any other future phases of Whitehall Riverside other than anything to do with this Premier Inn hotel?

That would No1 Whitehall Road (see here (http://www.tcs-plc.com/no1whitehallroad.html))

Here?

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff280/toml-1991/here.png

That would No1 Whitehall Road (see here (http://www.tcs-plc.com/no1whitehallroad.html))

WOW that video is like Grand Theft Auto - wanted to jack one of those cars and start shooting at will!! Impressive though - is this still "live" do we think?

If this is true then surely it will not be the same design as from the Town Securities website; wouldn't a hotel require a completely different spec to an office block?

Premiere inn hmmm... do they have usually occupy high quality buildings? I had the impression that they build cheap so it costs cheap, although I doubt the building will be poor quality. Then again the state of the 'new builds' around that area leads to me believe anything could be built.

I'm not going to be nitty picky, I think it looks good. :)

I'm not going to be nitty picky, I think it looks good. :)

It won't look as good as that if it's a hotel.
For example, this Premier Inn is proposed for Bradford.

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/777/premierinnjpgdisplay.jpg

looks like the Premier Inn is set to be built on the grass in front of No 1 Whitehall Riverside.


From today's Business Desk:


Multi-million pound city centre plans unveiled
9th August 2011

By Ian Briggs - Editor, Yorkshire

PLANS for a £30m scheme to create a a 130 bedroom hotel and 50,000 sq ft of office space in Leeds city centre have been unveiled.

Yorkshire companies Gregory Projects and Marshalls are behind the project. The joint venture partnership is to acquire a 0.6 acre site on Whitehall Road, adjacent to Leeds City Rail Station, from Town Centre Securities for an undisclosed sum.

An agreement to operate the hotel has been put in place with Premier Inn which wants to expand its existing proposition to the south of the city and close to the station.

The vision for the scheme is to deliver an independent ground floor entrance for each element of the development with four floors of grade A offices above and a further five floors atop that for hotel bedrooms.

A full planning application is expected to be submitted by the end of September.

Richard Tovey at Gregory Projects, which is a part of Leeds-based Gregory Property Holdings, said: “We are delighted to be able to acquire the site jointly with Marshalls of Elland. This is a prime development opportunity that will draw interest from blue chip businesses seeking a very short walk to the railway station.

"The advanced agreement with Premier Inn reinforces the location values as well as Leeds’ capacity for more hotel accommodation.”

Adam Cockroft of DTZ, which is appointed jointly with Weatheralls to market the office element said: “Leeds remains one of Europe’s top business destinations and still enjoys healthy demand for high quality office accommodation, despite the economic downturn.

"This development is in an excellent location and offers an opportunity for potential occupiers to influence the design and layout of their office space and also enjoy an on site hotel for guests and employees.”

WSB is representing Premier Inn.

YEP article on the proposed new Premier Inn and office development between One Whitehall and Whitehall Road. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/central-leeds/leeds_city_centre_hotel_plan_on_track_1_3664003

As mentioned in Aviators post it is interesting to note that Town Centre Securities are not involved in this development of office space and the Premier Inn hotel. Wonder if it is a sign of Town Centre Securities wanting nothing more to do with this long protracted development (although surely the economy has a lot to blame)?

Presumably with office space in addition to the Premier Inn hotel I would presume, there would at least be an attempt made at design for this development to entice occupiers particularly with Wellington Place across the road (whenever that finally takes place). Lets hope it doesn't take long for the office space to be taken on so this development finally takes place.

When Whitehall Riverside received planning permission it had a condition that one building would be a landmark development. This plot was meant for that development. The existing render (http://www.tcs-plc.com/no1whitehallroad.html) was TCS' interpretation of landmark. This render was on the billboard on the plot until the recent announcement when it was replaced by a written advert.

It will be interestng to see if the design actually changes and if the condition is upheld.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/business-news/plan_for_30m_city_hotel_office_complex_1_3841438
Plan for £30m city hotel, office complex
Thursday 6 October

Plans for a £30m city centre office and hotel development have been submitted to Leeds City Council.

The 10-storey Whitehall Plaza scheme, on Whitehall Road, will include a 130-bed Premier Inn hotel and restaurant as well as 50,000 sq ft of office accommodation with associated basement parking.

Leeds-based Gregory Projects and Marshalls, of Elland, who are behind the scheme, propose to build on a vacant 0.6 acre site in front of the No 1 Whitehall Riverside office block in the heart of the business district in the West End of the city centre.

The development will face Whitehall Road on the approach into the city, incorporating an entrance colonnade to access the office reception. The hotel entrance on the east corner will include a ground floor restaurant facing onto Whitehall Road.

The offices will be located on the first, second, third and fourth floors. Floors two to four will include large open plan floor plates. A main circulation core will rise through the offices to the fifth floor where the hotel bedrooms will rise to the ninth level.

Carl Braim, of The Harris Partnership, who designed the scheme, said: “The proposal will provide a contemporary inclusion to the riverside area of Leeds, using high quality materials to create a crisp, modern building.”

He added: “Included in the proposal will be the road widening of Whitehall Road and the inclusion of a new cycle lane to improve the connectivity to the city. New pedestrian routes will also be established from the building to the river side.”

A planning decision is expected by the end of the year with an anticipated start on site in the first half of 2012.

Richard Tovey, at Gregory Projects, said: “We intend to pre-let the offices, which will allow potential occupiers the chance to influence the overall design and layout of their space.”

Joint letting agents are Sanderson Weatherall and DTZ. WSB are representing Premier Inn.

So if the hotel is going on the plot of land behind No1 whitehall riverside this masterplan below must have been scrapped?

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz325/melfiire/SnapShot25-1.png
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz325/melfiire/SnapShot24.png

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/webimage/nlyb_19_05_11_bizwhitehalljpg_1_3394414!image/32877719.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_595/32877719.jpg..


... please tell me thats not the new design :ohno:

Yes, it is, and it looks good.

So if the hotel is going on the plot of land behind No1 whitehall riverside this masterplan below must have been scrapped?

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz325/melfiire/SnapShot25-1.png
http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz325/melfiire/SnapShot24.png

Of course, there are already buildings there.

Yes, it is, and it looks good.

I disagree, its too plain and boxy for my liking and they need more trees surrounding them... i also really do feel that this site deserves slightly taller buildings.

I kind of agree, though I think it looks kind of professional, and is better than the crappier buildings already there.

Of course, there are already buildings there.

I'm not with you on this. The buildings shown on that rendering have either been built or there is a vacant plot of land there. There have been no additional buildings on the whitehall road strip of land. The proposed hotel would replace the building with the cylindrical section, which was going to be occupied by the highways agency.

The old designs were terrible...

Okay the render looked decent but the reality looks cheap..

http://no1whitehallriverside.com/images/whitehall-image.jpg

I'm not with you on this. The buildings shown on that rendering have either been built or there is a vacant plot of land there. There have been no additional buildings on the whitehall road strip of land. The proposed hotel would replace the building with the cylindrical section, which was going to be occupied by the highways agency.

I mean, there are already buildings along the riverside, the old design was never used.

Also an even earlier render of the Whitehall Riverside development showing more red terracotta tiled buildings compared with latter renders:

http://www.cityoffices.net/site/images/projectimages/leeds/whitehall%20Riverside.jpg

Still hope this Premier Inn gets done sooner rather than later to fill in a small part of this largely empty corner of the city.

Talisker is correct. It is where the cylindrical building is on Lad 2011 first post. As mentioned in my post above this plot was earmarked for the landmark building within the Whitehall Riverside scheme. Will be interesting to see the designs when they are uploaded to Public Access.

Yes, it is, and it looks good.

I saw the design for this in the Business section of the Yorkshire Post today. It looks to be in the same vein as the new render above (although it is not one of the two blocks you can see in that render). It is a white looking block with a single storey glass entrance to the side and some Wellington Place style windows and other features. Minimalism verging on blandness but better than what Carey Jones were proposing previously imo.

I would have posted on this earlier but everyone in York library was either on Facebook or playing on-line role-playing games.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/webimage/nlyb_19_05_11_bizwhitehalljpg_1_3394414!image/32877719.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_595/32877719.jpg..



I like it. Reminds me new developments in Amsterdam and Ijburg

Here are the public access (http://plandocs.leeds.gov.uk/WAM/showCaseFile.do?appName=planning&appNumber=11/04023/FU) docs with the renders... Fairly dull proposal.

Well it's not that exciting, but it'll be nice to see something actually get built again and start to fill in the gaps in this part of the City.

The one on the left looks like that office block in Picadilly Gardens, Manchester, with the bar at the bottom.

Cladding material is ceramic rainscreen. It doesn't matter how good the shape/form is, it's going to look cheap and nasty. I'm going to object. I'm absolutely bloody sick of this dreadful material.

I disagree, its too plain and boxy for my liking and they need more trees surrounding them... i also really do feel that this site deserves slightly taller buildings.

Not sure why this site deserves taller, its on the periphery of the centre and looks about right to me.

Not everything can or should be tall for the sake of it.

Well it's not that exciting, but it'll be nice to see something actually get built again and start to fill in the gaps in this part of the City.

I think the frustrating thing about this proposal is it is about the only spot that isn't filling a gap, ie. there is decent office building directly behind with a nice looking grassed area (where this proposal is to be located), which overall looks fine and complete as it is; while surrounding areas are full of empty cleared sites or derelict buildings screaming out to be re-developed.

weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird (http://plandocs.leeds.gov.uk/WAM/doc/General%20Comment-508288.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=508288&location=VOLUME3&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1) comment by the Civic Trust about the proposed Premier Inn. They are increasingly becoming irrelevant.

Weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird comment by Shiny_Dave about the Civic Trust. He is becoming increasingly irrelevant.

I haven't looked at the plans so I have no idea whether I would draw the same conclusions as them. However, the substance of their complaint sounds perfectly reasonable.

weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird (http://plandocs.leeds.gov.uk/WAM/doc/General%20Comment-508288.pdf?extension=.pdf&id=508288&location=VOLUME3&contentType=application/pdf&pageCount=1) comment by the Civic Trust about the proposed Premier Inn. They are increasingly becoming irrelevant.

How are the comments weird? Written in quite technical language yes (might be a clue as to the type of proffesion of the person making the comments....), but that doesn't make them irrelevant.

How are the comments weird? Written in quite technical language yes (might be a clue as to the type of proffesion of the person making the comments....), but that doesn't make them irrelevant.


Only an irrelevant person would write that.

This will block the view from my work window in No.1 Whitehall Riverside :(

There's got to be barely 5 metres between the hotel's windows and the office windows of No.1 Whitehall.

But you'll get to see into everyone's hotel rooms! Ah, the city...

Brief article (http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/central-leeds/a_30_million_premier_plaza_for_leeds_city_centre_1_4135232) in the YEP about the approval for the Premier Inn development.

I guess, if this goes ahead, this will be the first new building on the Whitehall Riverside site for almost a decade.

Naah I think its 2006 when they built the office block with the curved grey bit.

I hope they do much more with this area, it's got great potential

Brief article (http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/central-leeds/a_30_million_premier_plaza_for_leeds_city_centre_1_4135232) in the YEP about the approval for the Premier Inn development.

I guess, if this goes ahead, this will be the first new building on the Whitehall Riverside site for almost a decade.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimage/1.4135231.1326368689!image/4148595577.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_595/4148595577.jpg

Well at least the proposed Premier Inn / Office development has been approved, surely this should start relatively soon considering location relatively close to railway station? Still there does certainly need to be much more in the way of development down this end of town and hope the finish on this new building is of a high standard. It has been a bit of a joke that development along Whitehall Road generally has been so slow even back in the days when the economy was doing well.

Not too bad looking at all, hope to see this one get cracking pretty soon.

hope work starts pretty soon!!!!

Lots of men in suits on the site the other day, there's something going on!

Naah I think its 2006 when they built the office block with the curved grey bit.

Really?? That just goes to show how reliable my recollections are. Thanks for reminding me though.

Construction has still been exceptionally slow considering the vast majority of what has been built is apartments rather than offices. Ironic, considering Whitehall Riverside and Wellington place are primarily an extension of the CBD.

Anyway a picture taken mid 2005

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/7825/img01559rg.jpg

Yeah the curved grey building is more definitely recent.


Good to hear of activity!

This should be starting on site in the summer.

It may not be that exciting architecturally but it should certainly make a substantial improvement to this part of town. The rainscreen fills me with dread though.

Is that Whitehall Plaza? (with Premiere Inn already pre-let)

http://wsbproperty.co.uk/adminimages/B2Whitehall_plaza.jpg

Yes.

Certainly more development is needed in this end of town considering the anemic pace of creating the supposed West End of Leeds which all but came to a halt when the recession started (Whitehall Riverside, Wellington Place, Green Bank, International Pool, Latitude etc).

http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz325/melfiire/whitehallplazaLEEDS.jpg



http://i840.photobucket.com/albums/zz325/melfiire/WhitehallplazaLeeds2.jpg

I think that's rather swish! :cheers:

Should fit in lovely when the Wellington Place development comes about - 'shares some very similar window patterns.

Looks a bit numb in the last photo (looking from the station end) but much better from the other end of the building in the first photo above - shame they can't mirror the whole thing round.

I like it. Its got clean lines, looks modern and will help to increase the mid rise landscape in the west end. Will also compliment Wellington Place development over the road

It looks good but you can tell from the render the cladding will suck.