The full planning application has been lodged for the Opal Group plot on the site of the former Londoner pub.

This was the site of what was known as the 'Wade Lane' proposal which had a 23 storey student residential block proposed and fully approved. The site was sold on and recently bought by the Opal Group and we have been expecting a proposal any time soon.

As they are just completing the large Opal One development on Burley Road as well as other big developments in Leicester and elswhere, we know they have a good track record on completing projects, and will be well poised to start another big project soon.

No images yet.

Thanks for the heads-up, Rob. I look forward to seeing images of the proposal when they become available.

Sign of the times that a new thread about a 25 storey application in Leeds generates only 2 replies in 48hrs?

It certainly is, just a couple of years ago we'd be on page 3 by now.

Where is this development exactly? and is there a date to start construction? is it student digs?

Sign of the times that a new thread about a 25 storey application in Leeds generates only 2 replies in 48hrs?

I don't think this is a completely new application.

well maybe if we had some details and images then it would get going

This is a picture of the previous application for that site:

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/2267JacobStreetWadeLaneresidentialtower_pic1.jpg

Is it still to look like this and (that proposal according to Skyscraper News states 23 storeys and 72 metres in height) as it would appear to be a bit like a twin tower for Tower North Central and who are the architects for this. If the tower looks widely different to that early render does anyone have any knowledge as to what the Opal Tower will look like?

Rob, do you know the application number? I can't find anything on the planning portal website.

06/04885/FU/C

http://www.leeds.gov.uk/files/2006/week36/inter__5D4631FC96BA64BD80256E1C003563B7_128d7bdd-75a4-4acb-bf30-1c3f1b326311.pdf

:)

thanks

looks cheap and nasty so will match most current new build in the city..he he. Saying that, the Londoner pub was very dodgy!

I don't think this is a completely new application.

I believe it is, as Opal have only just bought the site recently, and this is their first application on it. As reported earlier, someone noticed when Opal had bought the site just a few months ago, and we discussed expecting a new application soon as the old 'Wade Lane' proposal has clearly gone now, and Opal don't normally hang around with their projects.

This is a picture of the previous application for that site:

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/2267JacobStreetWadeLaneresidentialtower_pic1.jpg

Is it still to look like this and (that proposal according to Skyscraper News states 23 storeys and 72 metres in height) as it would appear to be a bit like a twin tower for Tower North Central and who are the architects for this. If the tower looks widely different to that early render does anyone have any knowledge as to what the Opal Tower will look like?

baaaah, that looks honky. Let's hope this new proposal is slightly more pleasant on the eye, especially as that elevated part of town makes a rather imposing impression on the city skyline.

As Rob has said, its certainly a new application.

[QUOTE=jimbo]Let's hope this new proposal is slightly more pleasant on the eye, especially as that elevated part of town makes a rather imposing impression on the city skyline.
[QUOTE]
I have some concerns for Leeds' future skyline. The more elevated sites such as this one and the student Plaza 36 storey tower are generally where the cheapest land is (away from the shops/riverside/business areas). This means proposals are at risk of being lower quality, but with the trend for taller and taller towers to get max return on investment in land, this could lead to problems. For example BWP has a massive impact on the skyline already, but is much lower down in terms of height above sea or whatever. A tower the height of BWP on a more elevated position would have an even greater impact. I'm worried the more elevated land is going to be filled by low quality high rise which will dominate the skyline, with the tops of the towers being more prominent than even BWP due to their elevation...

The 30-storey twin towers on the Leeds Met Brunswick site should be of a sufficiently high quality to set a decent standard for the area. The 'Wade Lane' tower has been kicking around for some years now and already seems to come from another area; I'm hoping we get a re-design on this one, as there was on the equally uninspiring Plaza scheme.

I have to say that I saw the plaza the other day with the covers off and I think it is much better than people give credit to. It is an interesting building and stands well in the location that it is in. It is true that it could be better quality, but we have to be realistic and look at who is financing these buildings. Developers are looking to deliver and affordable and profitable building that is pleasing to the eye. They are not striving to win awards around the world and spend an extra £100m just to please the people on this forum.

We have to remember in all aspects of development what was there before. it is only opinions,, but if something is better than what it has replaced, then the city is improving. The perfect building may not be delivered, but things improve and developments get better. Look at any city in the world and you will see buildings that could be better.

Well said Typhoo. A sense of realism at last.

The 'Wade Lane' tower has been kicking around for some years now and already seems to come from another area; I'm hoping we get a re-design on this one, as there was on the equally uninspiring Plaza scheme.

I'm quite sure the old Wade Lane design is gone now; I'm sure Opal will have put forward their own design.

Opal 1 has only just been finished. It was still a building site with 24hrs before students started moving in. There's no water in the pool yet and builders are still going in peoples rooms to connect wires up etc. My flatmate has a friend there who had no hot water for 2 days because they forgot to connect the boiler up. Certainly glad im not living there even though the facilities are good but what use is it having a swimming pool with no water in.

Opal 1 has only just been finished. It was still a building site with 24hrs before students started moving in. There's no water in the pool yet and builders are still going in peoples rooms to connect wires up etc. My flatmate has a friend there who had no hot water for 2 days because they forgot to connect the boiler up. Certainly glad im not living there even though the facilities are good but what use is it having a swimming pool with no water in.

Opal 1 has only just been finished. It was still a building site with 24hrs before students started moving in. There's no water in the pool yet and builders are still going in peoples rooms to connect wires up etc. My flatmate has a friend there who had no hot water for 2 days because they forgot to connect the boiler up. Certainly glad im not living there even though the facilities are good but what use is it having a swimming pool with no water in.


Opal 1- Where is this?

It's quite hard for me to explain in terms of road names eactly where it is as i have only lived in leeds for 2 weeks. I think the road name is Kirkstall road with Park Lane College and the Marlborough tower block. if you go past those its about 500 yards past there with different colour window frames. Past the Ibis hotel aswell if that helps.

Thats right its on the Kirkstal road near the fire station and opisate the bus depo.

Opal 1 phase 2 next door is growing now, two new tower cranes went up a few weeks ago and now the steel frame is up to floor three already.

Went passed Opal 2 site tonight ( Little London Pub site). Loads of activity, portable cranes, drilling rigs, loads of portacabins. The wholw site was lit with workers on site at 6 pm. Certainly looks like this development has started. 25floors would be a nice addition to the skyline over this part of Leeds. The tower should really stand out being in such an elevated position.

I find it odd that there's a 25 floor building going up and no one seems to know what it looks like! He he, a well we will find out soon enough.

I find it odd that there's a 25 floor building going up and no one seems to know what it looks like! He he, a well we will find out soon enough.

That might make a few storeys taller than neighbouring Tower House. Does this mean it will be visible from Briggate?

That might make a few storeys taller than neighbouring Tower House. Does this mean it will be visible from Briggate?

Sounds probable, is it student accommodation?

good new
isnt the plaza student accomodation aswell
the skyline at this side of town will look great,with tower house,the plaza 1and2(if 2 is accepted) and then the opal tower.
maybe this will complete with bridgewater place,criterion,and lumiere at the other side of town.Its developing all over.

Went passed Opal 2 site tonight ( Little London Pub site). Loads of activity, portable cranes, drilling rigs, loads of portacabins. The wholw site was lit with workers on site at 6 pm. Certainly looks like this development has started. 25floors would be a nice addition to the skyline over this part of Leeds. The tower should really stand out being in such an elevated position.

Interesting! The tower isn't approved yet!

Is it definately the Opal site? although I can't see what else it could be. Did anyone notice who the contractor is?

Could be that they are starting ground preparation in advance of approval (which is due about now!) a bit like HBG have done with the Monksbridge site. That should mean a quick start when approval does come through.

Looks like I'll need to pay the site a visit.

Interesting! The tower isn't approved yet!

Is it definately the Opal site? although I can't see what else it could be. Did anyone notice who the contractor is?

Could be that they are starting ground preparation in advance of approval (which is due about now!) a bit like HBG have done with the Monksbridge site. That should mean a quick start when approval does come through.

Looks like I'll need to pay the site a visit.


The contractor is Ocon Construction. The same builder as Opal 1.

Here's their website:

www.oconconstruction.co.uk

Nothing on it regarding this development, but covers Opal 1.

Passed again today and there is a lot of activity on site. It looks like preparations are moving forward very quickly

build sh1t=grow fast...vile, cheap, nasty. Urghhh..the buildings they are putting up seem to go with the merrion centre quite well though!! eheheheh:bash:

The signs look good. Looks like we may have the next high rise on the way ... Leeds' 7th 20+storey building in the city centre . I'll definately have to pay a visit soon.

Ocon look quite good with basic towers and clearly do Opal's work (similar to Carillion doing all Unite's work), although this would be their tallest yet.

good website
i passed the site and there was ocon sings on.
that was a couple of weeks ago though when there was a hole and fencing.
il have to have another look.

build sh1t=grow fast...vile, cheap, nasty. Urghhh..the buildings they are putting up seem to go with the merrion centre quite well though!! eheheheh:bash:

But the project on the website is for Burley Road. I don't think we'll get that monstrosity on the Opal site (can't stop thinking about Opal Fruits now :drool: )

But the project on the website is for Burley Road. I don't think we'll get that monstrosity on the Opal site (can't stop thinking about Opal Fruits now :drool: )

I agree, it seems strange that there is only Burley Road on their website, but if you go to the new site, there is one hell of a lot of activity going on, so looks as if this new tower is starting.

link to the new site ?

..

Think this is the best place to put this, Opal One phrase 2. Anybody know how big this is gonna be?

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Opal%2014-11-06/Opal.jpg

It's to be 9 storeys, with a general appearance similar-ish to it's big brother next door.

It's to be 9 storeys, with a general appearance similar-ish to it's big brother next door.

Thanks Rob. Dont suppose you know whats going on here?

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Opal%2014-11-06/BR.jpg

Its on Westfield Road kinda opposite the Opal One site

This is still listed as under consideration on the planning website. They could be preparing the site in anticpation of approval.

Is it a 10 storey block, seem to remember one in the back of my mind in this area.

I can't believe they would get this far without approval though.

No, I was talking about the 25 storey tower, although I think you made the same point anyway. So Opal have two main developments in Leeds, the first of which on Burley road has two phases, right?

That's correct.

Noticed Opal 1 from the railway tracks last week. When did it land?


http://static.flickr.com/42/264098669_5432ade435_o.jpg


http://static.flickr.com/115/257177927_e7ce993c45_o.jpg


http://static.flickr.com/99/264099112_98f3643e8b_o.jpg


http://static.flickr.com/116/251708708_f10e3f281d_o.jpg


http://static.flickr.com/99/251713164_d2c47eef27_o.jpg


http://static.flickr.com/85/251713471_f8d30fd800.jpg?v=0


http://static.flickr.com/93/257178487_3f59cd6d8d_o.jpg

Here's the Ocon Construction site at Wade Lane. Definately well on there.

I can only assume they are building foundations that would allow them to build the approved 23 storey scheme if they don't get approval for their new 25 storey proposal.

I had a look in the site and they have excavated a basement level out already.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/p32dd02f25b66e9088246d50567e0d5f0/ec015f71.jpg

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/2267JacobStreetWadeLaneresidentialtower_pic1.jpg

Those coloured sun shade things remind me of lego pieces!!!

Wheres that!? I swear Ive never seen that before!

I must say I don't mind it at all (Opal 1), bearing in mind location and purpose. Miles better than Plaza, which is far more visible and better located. Can we swap them somehow?

I dont think Ive ever seen that building before in my life; but I really like it :)

..

that side of town is certainly bulking up.

I've got to say for student accomodation opal 1 is far superior to some of the "swanky apartments" that have gone up on the riverside. i love the cut out sections of the building.

Where did we see this first?

Follow this really old link.

http://www.leeds-cityscape.co.uk/Burley_Road.html


www.gallerynorth.co.uk

Here's the Ocon Construction site at Wade Lane. Definately well on there.

I can only assume they are building foundations that would allow them to build the approved 23 storey scheme if they don't get approval for their new 25 storey proposal.

I had a look in the site and they have excavated a basement level out already.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid219/p32dd02f25b66e9088246d50567e0d5f0/ec015f71.jpg

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/2267JacobStreetWadeLaneresidentialtower_pic1.jpg



This must be the first time a major high rise project has begun without us seeing an actual render. Surely there must be some renders being released soon, especially as they are moving so quickly with the build. The one shown here was at 23 storeys, not 25, so the design must have changed from this picture?

..

So is this building going to be a 25 storey bad boy and its actually started?? very sneeky!!!! Cant wait to see this rise in such an elevated position.

Does the Ocon build have its own thread?

im suprissed nobody seems to know anything about this building and knowone has posted pics before.

we've known about this since August 2005 as the thread below demonstrates. It was the old design on show, and we haven't seen anything else since in terms of a new render. Will be interesting to see what goes up on the site.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=241967

P.S. di Livio great photos of Opal Court - like the wood cladding and jaunty angles and the students have their own leisure centre and swimming pool as well. I think the multicoloured window things are quite fun!

This residential building was originally proposed by Victoria Hall Ltd, and full planning was granted in July 2005, for this 23 storey student apartment block, located close to both university's central campuses.

The site was subsequently sold to Opal Student Residencies, who have raised a revised planning application to increase the height of the tower by a further two floors. Planning approval is still awaited for the revised scheme, but construction work has commenced on site with foundation works.

interesting from skyscraper news.

The first cluster in Leeds! :wink2:

Subliving.

This residential building was originally proposed by Victoria Hall Ltd, and full planning was granted in July 2005, for this 23 storey student apartment block, located close to both university's central campuses.

The site was subsequently sold to Opal Student Residencies, who have raised a revised planning application to increase the height of the tower by a further two floors. Planning approval is still awaited for the revised scheme, but construction work has commenced on site with foundation works.

interesting from skyscraper news.

we've known that for ages. Rob is the editor of the Leeds element of skyscrapernews.com, so nothing written there is new to us. Rob puts it in a much more eloquent and focused manner than we seem to achieve on this discussion board.

Found these on my computer, thought might as well put them here

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Opal%2014-11-06/OF3.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Opal%2014-11-06/OF2.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Opal%2014-11-06/OF1.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Opal%2014-11-06/BR2.jpg

Found these on my computer, thought might as well put them here


http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Opal%2014-11-06/BR2.jpg

That building is a bit of a stinker IMO, what saves it from being a total disaster is the fact that they used red brick instead of terracotta pan tiles. I know it is only a student block so I suppose I shouldn't moan too much. One thing I noticed when I passed the building the other week was a sign on the ground floor saying "this building is not a Hotel" or something along those lines. Maybe people are mistaking it for a hotel because it has the same cheapo look as so many new build hotels?

Fairly tall for so far out too... Gives the city a bit of a bigger feel when the buildings are a bit taller on the fringes.

I was just thinking, do we know for certain if this 25 storey application is a replacement for the 23 storey one or in addition to it? That would explain the apparent activity on site (if this was construction of the 23 floor tower), although like it was previously stated, that could be just groundwork in antitipation for approval of the 25 floor application.

I had a peek at this site today... all it is is a big hole in the ground at the moment!!

It's a bit more than just a big hole as they've been drilling piles in for a while now.

As for what is being built, the lack of clear info has resulted in a bit of speculation. The 25 storey Opal planning appication is definately on the exact same site as the original 23 storey Victoria Hall approval. You could assume that they wouldn't take the risk of a substantial start on site without any approval at all, so they have definately got a 23 storey tower approval to fall back on if their new application fails. Of course we don't expect it will fail, the application should be approved before they get much further anyway.

has any one seen opal phase two of 1 next ot phase one,confusing<
does anyone know how many floors it will have but doesnet look big from driving by.

Pic from a few weeks ago
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/save_mejebus/Opal%2014-11-06/Opal.jpg

It's to be 9 storeys, with a general appearance similar-ish to it's big brother next door.

Saw the site today,there was a big hole in the ground with many cabins for works and store sheds also a base for a crane looks like this developments is going to happen.
around this area there will be a brilliant cluster with tower north the plaza 1and2 and this.

thats really good news but we still havent seen any pics for it which is odd

thats really good news but we still havent seen any pics for it which is odd

I'm sure that's because it's not approved yet. When it is, I'm sure we'll be seeing plenty of it.

Full planning permission has been obtained this week :cheers:

yay
i thought the big hole was ther for something and the crane base.
great news were did u get the info from evenflow ?

great news. how tall is it

Full planning permission has been obtained this week :cheers:

:banana: :banana2: :pepper: :cucumber:
Thanks for the great news!

Great news. I'm looking forward to seeing a cluster of high rise buildings as you come into Leeds City Centre from Sheepscar/North Leeds.

With this building, The Plaza tower, which should get planning approval tomorrow, and Brunswick Place all in the pipeline, the skyline into the city from the North is certainly going to be transformed in a few years.

speaking of brunswick place whats the status on that.
and i belive the floors are 25 and the height is around 98m or so.

this is good news, so are we finally going to get some renders of it now

speaking of brunswick place whats the status on that.
and i belive the floors are 25 and the height is around 98m or so.



Would be great if it were 98m, but more realistic to be around 80m. Will have to wait for official renders/stats. 25 floors it is, the highest number of storeys apart from BWP, but not for long.

In the next few months we should see Lumiere Tower 1 starting construction at 54 storeys, The Plaza Tower at 37 storeys, Lumiere 2 at 32storeys, BWP now built at 32 storeys, and then Opal Tower at 25 storeys.

2007 is going to be a great year for Leeds reaching the skies, and there's more to come!

But no criterion come on the council.

Went and had a good look in the site today, unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me though. There's no sign of a tower crane base, so I don't know what you saw in there 'Leeds the Best', however there is good progress being made.

They have now exacavated a huge basement level, and partly sheet piled one side of it. The foundation piling seems to be completed already, and they were busy excavating around the pile caps with exposed rebar. There were a few large rebar mesh assemblies stacked up on site looking like they were ready to be put in place and concrete could be poured in the next few weeks to start the substructure. These were large and could be related to the tower crane base as well as the structure. All in all good progress since last time I looked.

There is an excellant viewing spot b.t.w., although the site is fully hoarded there are some stairs adjacent to the neighbouring building with a raised paved area, perfect.

the crane bse is behind the work cabins coming up and the pieces of the crane can be seen behing the cabins,maybe we saw it from different angles?

Ah, didn't look there.

Yeah il go take some pics of the site to see whats going on downthere.
I think the height hopefully will be around 90m.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/brunswick06.jpg

I don't know if this was the viewing spot you were referring to, but it's a great vantage point. Just goes to show the amount of undeveloped land there is around here

Incidently, this is the view looking in the opposite direction showing the buildings soon to be demolished for the Brunswick redevelopment:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/brunswick06_2.jpg

..

Yorkshire Bank have seperate reclad plans don't they? I dont mind these buildings; not against the redevelopment of these buildings but I think they should try to develop other areas first!

i love those spotlamps on that building, there great

I don't know if this was the viewing spot you were referring to, but it's a great vantage point. Just goes to show the amount of undeveloped land there is around here

The viewing spot I used is far better, see the brown brick office next to Tower North, the raised paved area is attached to the front of that building (opposite side as on the photo), from there you are about 5ft away from the hoardings and you can see right over it.

But no criterion come on the council.

CP hasn't even been submitted for planning by the developers or architects yet. The Council can't speed that up - the only thing they can do is ensure that the sale of land from themselves to Simons/Dandara happens asap.

is that brown thing on the left gonna be demolised ?

no, there was a story in the YEP a couple of months back explaining that Yorkshire Bank (owned by NAB - National Australia Bank), are planning a big internal refurb. I don't think its being reclad either - which is good, as the dark shiny stone finish is rather fine. Its only the old Leeds Met buildings that are due to be demolished.

GREAT TOWER

Here's the first photos of Opal Tower (just as an embryo) for the album. These are taken from my vantage point described a few posts above.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/pa935dbe9613897a3509edecfbe6dde81/eb9c42c7.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/pd42ebd7a982c823c90c1b5106cd02a5a/eb9c42b7.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid220/p05328fbbf436b4509f0b69facb25ecb6/eb9c42ad.jpg


No sign of any bits of tower crane yet, had a look all round and behind the compound. Loads more re-bar cages around site this week (these were being made up behind the cabins) and foundation caps progressing nicely.

So if this thing has obviously started construction with the appearance of metal foundations why are there no renders of what this will look like and what sort of cladding and shape will the building have? Presume its not like below ;)

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/871/opal16ea.jpg or

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Opel_logo.png

Also with the impending demolition of Leeds Met Unis Brunswick Terrace how long will it be until redevelopment occurs and would an interim use for that site be a surface level car park? :ohno: Surely they should demolish the Grosvenor Casino / Stick & Twist Wetherspoons as well as that shoe box has no redeeming architectural qualities whatsoever and it could perhaps be made into a new public space although a building in the Brunswick development could house Spoons and the Casino of course.

..

Surely they should demolish the Grosvenor Casino / Stick & Twist Wetherspoons as well as that shoe box has no redeeming architectural qualities whatsoever and it could perhaps be made into a new public space although a building in the Brunswick development could house Spoons and the Casino of course.

A reminder of the Brunswick Place site.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/Brunswick%20Place/BrunswickPlace.jpg

How likely is Brunswick Place to go ahead?

Subliving.

yes exactly its a vision this is why i did not include this tower on my 3d model.

How likely is Brunswick Place to go ahead?

Subliving.

See the official Leeds thread for mo' details.

this area is going to be really good, with this tower at 25, the Plaza at 36 and Brunswick Place with a 20 and 30 storey tower. thats four towers above 20 stories in a small area and they could all be built in a small period of time a year or 2 apart.

I wouldn't say it was the same area at all. This Place is closer to La Lumiere than the Brunswick.

No it's not. This is on the site of the Londoner pub, round the back of Tower North, about half a mile from Lumiere (it's not "La" Lumiere is it?)

No it's not. This is on the site of the Londoner pub, round the back of Tower North, about half a mile from Lumiere (it's not "La" Lumiere is it?)

indeed - not sure where the 'la' element came from. Either the French female usage, or Wayne Rooney perhaps, la.

or Wayne Rooney perhaps, la.

PMSL :D

It's my thread title, so I guess I'm to blame. But from what I remember, the name prob came from a YEP article. And as we all know, local hacks don't know their arse from their elbow and seeing the word "Lumiere" thought, aye aye, that's sounds a bit French, so stuck "La" on the front. Or something.

Anyway, we just need to wait for drilling rigs to appear on site and we can start the "Official Lumiere Construction Thread" and this one will be consigned to history.

Went to have another look yesterday, the site is really progressing well. Many of the re'bar cages have been dropped into large rectangular holes over the pile cap bars and some have been filled with concrete. Progress has moved from the south east corner to the south west corner, and the northern end of the site is being excavated out by two large excavators.

They have also now positioned a large tower crane base unit to the west side of the site, which will be at the back of the tower. Talking of small sites for Lumiere and Blue, this one is going to be a tight squeeze for building a 25 storey tower.

How the area could look in a few years:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/newyorkrender1.jpg

Opal 2 is obviously the blue one in the middle, with the two Brunswick towers and Unite Plaza to the right. The one on the left was really just to add balance, although it could represent new york house or part of the eastgate redevelopment.

Excellent render Talisker just gives a look into how impressive the 'Northern Quarter' cluster would look in several years time. Was it just guess work on your part into how Opal Tower will look or is that how it will look? Also a number of burning questions about the area covered in that picture. Is that building think its called New York House a former factory that started to be converted into apartments in something like 1998 before the developer went bust ever will be done and are those flats opposite (forgot the name but its opposite to New York House and encircled by a slip road to the A64 (M) and made out of an unusual material) wasn't that emptied earlier this year due to a structural defect and will that ever be remidied or will it be demolished and rebuilt (perhaps a good spot for a tower?) Also are they still planning a tower element of the Eastgate Quarter where the ABC Cinema was? Surely they should do to entice development to that end of the development. Finally are they still planning to demolish the British Gas building and what is planned to go there. Surely to keep this cluster they should have something taller on this site to maintain this view.

Excellent render Talisker just gives a look into how impressive the 'Northern Quarter' cluster would look in several years time. Was it just guess work on your part into how Opal Tower will look or is that how it will look? Also a number of burning questions about the area covered in that picture. Is that building think its called New York House a former factory that started to be converted into apartments in something like 1998 before the developer went bust ever will be done and are those flats opposite (forgot the name but its opposite to New York House and encircled by a slip road to the A64 (M) and made out of an unusual material) wasn't that emptied earlier this year due to a structural defect and will that ever be remidied or will it be demolished and rebuilt (perhaps a good spot for a tower?) Also are they still planning a tower element of the Eastgate Quarter where the ABC Cinema was? Surely they should do to entice development to that end of the development. Finally are they still planning to demolish the British Gas building and what is planned to go there. Surely to keep this cluster they should have something taller on this site to maintain this view.


It'll give this a pop:
- Crispin Lofts indeed still empty - developer went bust, but a planning application was submitted and approved for use of the building as 'an apart-hotel'; nothing seen since, and can't remember who proposed it (i.e. the new owners). Its much too fine a building to be left empty and clearly someone has snapped it up from the receivers.

- Caspar Apartments - no idea, seemed empty when i walked past it the other day, but really not sure. Again, a superb building, in great location, providing affordable housing, but with a giant engineering defect. I hope they can save it;

- New York House was proposed by CALA Homes and Kaikoura Investments and was recently given an extended planning permission as I recall. It would have looked like this:

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/3766/vicarlaneai3.jpg

does not have many fans, its an identikit Carey Jones block. The old cinema has been demolished but the site is empty and growing weeds. I suspect that the developers are trying to flog the site to Hammersons / TCS to incorporate within Harewood Eastgate, but really don't know.

- finally, British Gas tower - has a big advert on the side trying to attract an investor for redevelopment. Slightly up the road between the BG tower and Crispin Lofts is Emco House, which has also had a planning application submitted for redevelopment, though I've not seen any renders.

Hope that helps!

"I suspect that the developers are trying to flog the site to Hammersons / TCS to incorporate within Harewood Eastgate, but really don't know."
last i herd they had it, but more rummer i thinks.

It'll give this a pop:
- Crispin Lofts indeed still empty - developer went bust, but a planning application was submitted and approved for use of the building as 'an apart-hotel'; nothing seen since, and can't remember who proposed it (i.e. the new owners). Its much too fine a building to be left empty and clearly someone has snapped it up from the receivers.

- Caspar Apartments - no idea, seemed empty when i walked past it the other day, but really not sure. Again, a superb building, in great location, providing affordable housing, but with a giant engineering defect. I hope they can save it;

Sorry to be a snotty twit Jimbo but just to set you right here. Crispin House, aka Pooles Of Leeds has been in limbo for nearly 10 years. The builder, allegedly, made one of the biggest blunders a builder could ever make on the internal structure, the developer attempted to sue the builder and, again allegedly, it is still tied up in litigation due to legal mumbo jumbo. I can't go any further than that.

Caspar apartments? Who owns those buildings and that land? Think about what springing up around there. The perfect spot for a scraper??? A couple of councillors think so....... Cue the theme to "The Twilight Zone".....

Weren't the CASPAR apartments condemned as unsafe and forced evictions ensued? Something to do with a brand new type of build procedure (designed in Japan) that had never been tested properly, rendered the building unsafe in high winds?

Weren't the CASPAR apartments condemned as unsafe and forced evictions ensued? Something to do with a brand new type of build procedure (designed in Japan) that had never been tested properly, rendered the building unsafe in high winds?

lol, Japan is quite windy too if i remember

Sorry to be a snotty twit Jimbo but just to set you right here. Crispin House, aka Pooles Of Leeds has been in limbo for nearly 10 years. The builder, allegedly, made one of the biggest blunders a builder could ever make on the internal structure, the developer attempted to sue the builder and, again allegedly, it is still tied up in litigation due to legal mumbo jumbo. I can't go any further than that.

not at all, and fair do's. My sources were word of mouth, but I'm positive that the planning app for the aparthotel has been submitted. I remember seeing it on the Council website 6 or so months ago, and may well have a further nosy around to see if I can dig it out again.

Wonder what the blunder was......, I'd say the gray clad dormer bits on the top are a veritable architectural cock up, but doubt that would have slowed up the development process.

not at all, and fair do's. My sources were word of mouth, but I'm positive that the planning app for the aparthotel has been submitted. I remember seeing it on the Council website 6 or so months ago, and may well have a further nosy around to see if I can dig it out again.

Wonder what the blunder was......, I'd say the gray clad dormer bits on the top are a veritable architectural cock up, but doubt that would have slowed up the development process.

I seem to remember that approval has been given for the aparthotel development. Those two extra floors were built (after getting planning permission) by the original developer which went bust. That building has been an eyesore fo,r as someone prevfiously said, almost ten years with no immediate prospect of anything happening!

The impression of the opal tower was based on the old application for the 23 storey version, and since the new 25 storey one is listed as an ammendment for the previous approval, I was assuming the rough design would stay the same albeit with two extra floors. The cladding material is likely to be poor mind.

I thought the eastgate qtr. masterplan showed a highrise on the site of the ABC cinema which was also to be the site for newyork house, so there are two conflicting possibilties there.

When I spoke to the Eastgate/Harewood guys at the VQ exhibition they said they were in talks to get the old ABC site as part of the development. The tower shown is some vague representation of what may/could be there.

not at all, and fair do's. My sources were word of mouth, but I'm positive that the planning app for the aparthotel has been submitted. I remember seeing it on the Council website 6 or so months ago, and may well have a further nosy around to see if I can dig it out again.

Wonder what the blunder was......, I'd say the gray clad dormer bits on the top are a veritable architectural cock up, but doubt that would have slowed up the development process.


The blunder involved the floors. The building used to be 4 floors (I think) and the plan was to turn it into 6 floors (not including the addition on the top). For whatever reason, and by whom is unknown, all the floors were removed. That's when it became obvious that the building was about to fall in on itself, the roof very nicely holding it together. Cue frantic pinning of the walls and then questions of who pays for said pinning (very expensive) and who's fault the initial cock up was. At least 4 different parties getting sued by each other on this, it's still in court as far as I'm aware. Also, because it's taken so long and is still unresolved at least one of the interested parties has gone bust throwing confusion onto the ownership of the building.

The blunder involved the floors. The building used to be 4 floors (I think) and the plan was to turn it into 6 floors (not including the addition on the top). For whatever reason, and by whom is unknown, all the floors were removed. That's when it became obvious that the building was about to fall in on itself, the roof very nicely holding it together. Cue frantic pinning of the walls and then questions of who pays for said pinning (very expensive) and who's fault the initial cock up was. At least 4 different parties getting sued by each other on this, it's still in court as far as I'm aware. Also, because it's taken so long and is still unresolved at least one of the interested parties has gone bust throwing confusion onto the ownership of the building.

thanks for the info, but what a godawful depressing story. such a fine building teetering on the edge of oblivion. Let's hope sometime in the enxt couple of years they can sort out the legal differences and put the building to use in the manner it deserves.

The impression of the opal tower was based on the old application for the 23 storey version, and since the new 25 storey one is listed as an ammendment for the previous approval, I was assuming the rough design would stay the same albeit with two extra floors.



I believe the application was a completely knew one rather than an amendment.

Expect Opal 1 style construction, in tower form.

No it was an ammendment. It's broadly similar to the original but with an extra couple of floors:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_1.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_4.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_5.jpg

As you can see, it's not really 25 floors at all. It's 25 plus the ground floor and that thing on the top. So it's at least 26


Renders of the original:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_2.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_3.jpg


An absolute fucking joke of a building

Renders of the original:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_2.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_3.jpg


An absolute fucking joke of a building

well done for finding the images, but oh my lord, I understand your pain and the out of character swearing my son!

samey, dull with predictable grey and slate dark cladding, a cheap red stripe up the middle ending in a 1980s mohican like fin trying desperately to jazz it up, an uninspiring overall shape, tiny prison like windows and oh my god, I'm not sure I can go on. Its almost like a Duplo Lego tower designed by my godson, and its in a very prominent and elevated part of town.

Its so bad, that it makes Tower North quite pleasing on the eye.

Glad Smoggie is out for leaving drinks tonight, if he saw this I think he'd be on the next plane out of here cursing to the skies and refusing to ever return to Leeds. Run, run, run for the hills!

One more:

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_6.jpg

Oh and BTW - it's going to be grey aluminium panels again

To be honest I was getting quite stoked about this, becuase the original renderings didn't look that bad, and it is quite tall after all. But seeing these new angles has revealed that there is absolutely no chance of getting anything decent here. It's a vast hulk of a building with no redeaming features other than height.

Some of the renderings had comments drawn on - one simply said "rid!!" pointing at the handrail things around the top.

It is a joke of a building, Brum's Orion with a red fin.

Bloody hell that is a disgrace. >( How on earth did it get through planning as it really does look like a Lego reclad of a 1960s tower block. Certainly an awful building which should have been blocked at the application stage. How much have LCC been bribed to approve that thing?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
The one (slight) redeeming thing is it's height compared to it's fairly crap fringe location - but then again would probably better being shorter and less noticeable.

Why are there so relatively few windows in these new buildings? Surely students have to lean out of something when tooting on an illegal regal? Park Plaza seemed to lose about 50% of its windows during its conversion. It makes these places look like big plastic prisons

I think im going to be sick!!!!!!

Absolutely repulsive.

Its embarrassing to think this will be the 21st century's contribution to tall buildings in the area, standing next to Tower North; built in the 60s but looking stunning in comparison.

Hey! I like it, that red fin is the coolest thing ever!! Can't wait to see it built.

;)

With these renders we could be impressed by the end results in a turn to the usual (impressive renders, less impressive outcome) :)

It's not that bad is it? I like it, the render with the side view an the stepped roofline actually looks good to me.

No, it's a cocknocker of a building. I'm ashamed to be associated with LCC.....again.

O it is monstrous, monstrous!
Methought the billows spoke and told me of it,
The winds did sing it to me, and the thunder,
That deep and dreadful organ pipe, pronounced
the name... of Opal. :gaah:



It does actually look like a taller version of the Mandale student block in Middlesbrough.

It's a more interesting design than K2, which everyone on here seems to adore.

Subliving.

What gods earth is that block of Dog Shit!!!!!! Have the council lost the plot!!! Leeds is missing the opportunity of developing a quality cityscape if they approve anymore slabs of plastic crap! Is the Northern sky not Grey enough without building shed loads of Mono tone, drab Shite. Fu*k me the studentswill be throwing themselve from the top floor in a mass out break of deppression!

That's it I'm moving to Disney World!

It does [I]actually look like a taller version of the Mandale student block in Middlesbrough.

thats exactly what I thought..lego never looked so good..or bad..vile.
Who are these cock munchers on the local council who approve this type of tripe?

I like it. It is strange but quite appealing when you look at it for a while.

^^ I know what you mean, i can't stop looking at it

I also keep getting drawn back to the thread to see the pics - weird - still think I don't like it.
Worrying fact: the tower next door is the 2nd highest on the skyline (after BWP), and not by far due to the elevated location. So if this is taller and gets built quick then it may well be highest building on the skyline!

It's pity that the cladding is the same cheap metal panels but it had to be really, we couldn't expect anything dearer. However it's ok to me, and the form is good from the north/south elevations, overall it's good from some elevations and poor from others. The red strip adds a strong feature but is too stark and bright, it will surely be less bright in reality.

And at 27 floors, looks a good size too. I wonder just how tall it is to the top of the 'fin' looks quite a bit taller than neighbouring Tower House (which I believe is 77m)

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_2.jpg

I like this profile from the north/south elevation, doesn't work so well from east/west though.

I think it could look alright at night, they could light up the fin to give it some sort of edge. Its funny how some of us are now accepting it a bit more, maybe thats the secret cleverness, its soooo ugly that you start to like it :lol:

actually ive just noticed that there is a railing that goes all the way round the top, that looks horrible, just another thing to add the the ugliness that i can't help but admire.

The elevation is 81.5m at its' tallest, so it will be the second tallest building in Leeds

It's pity that the cladding is the same cheap metal panels but it had to be really, we couldn't expect anything dearer. However it's ok to me, and the form is good from the north/south elevations, overall it's good from some elevations and poor from others. The red strip adds a strong feature but is too stark and bright, it will surely be less bright in reality.

And at 27 floors, looks a good size too. I wonder just how tall it is to the top of the 'fin' looks quite a bit taller than neighbouring Tower House (which I believe is 77m)

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_2.jpg

I like this profile from the north/south elevation, doesn't work so well from east/west though.


How times are a changing. A couple of years ago we would have been celebrating such a tall building with 27 floors being constructed in Leeds. Now, its just another high riser. I quite like the renders, certainly better than the Park Plaza Hotel which no one seems to mind.

I believe they are a Manchester firm. Are they having a joke at our expense.
This building makes Tower North Central positively inspiring. But then it is.

In the drawings it looks horrible, absolutely terrible! But in the renders I think it’s acceptable, it seems to work, even interesting to an existent. Could work.

remove the red fin and change the cladding and you have some potential.
As it is it's detrimental to the future of Leeds' skyline IMO.

That's your opinion! I agree that the isometrics make it look a bit rough, but it does look quite good in the renders. I think it'll be one of those that will look even better in the flesh than in the renders, and can't wait to see it built. (The rails at the top are presumably for a window cleaning gantry and so could be for essential maintenance equipment rather than an unwanted architectural feature).

Is it just me or are the drawings and the renders different (the drawings have dark grey cladding at the bottom whereas the renders have all light grey cladding)? which representation is the one that has just passed planning?

Must be the drawings, as one of them has a LCC approved stamp dated 29 Nov 2006

Is it just me or are the drawings and the renders different (the drawings have dark grey cladding at the bottom whereas the renders have all light grey cladding)? which representation is the one that has just passed planning?

..

Is it just me or are the drawings and the renders different (the drawings have dark grey cladding at the bottom whereas the renders have all light grey cladding)? which representation is the one that has just passed planning?
ahh, didnt notice that! really hope the white cladding is used!!!

I said on the original post that the last two pictures (which is what I presume you are refering to as the renders) are from the original application before the ammendment. They are not therefore up-to-date and show a shorter tower. I don't know if the colour of the panels has changed as well in the ammendment.

i hope it looks better when built.

unfortunately, and from experience its very rare that cladding and finish looks any better in the flesh that it did on the render. Case in point was the 1st phase of the Plaza and West Central, both of which have employed this frighteningly dull gray pannelling which looked reasonable and shiny on the renders but in real life look cheap and temporary.

of course there are exceptions to the rule - look at the Willis Building (51 Lime Street) down here in London, which has an absolutely stunning finish which also brings more life through reflection to the building across the street...... the epic Rodger's Lloyds of London.

But the plethora of metal clad towers in Leeds (K2, Basilica, Tower North) can have very acceptable appearances in many circumstances, sometimes they glow in the sunlight, sometimes they stand out well against a grey sky, they usually look white from a distance such as coming up the M1 or M621. The variety is refreshing.

I would also point out that I think I am right in saying that most proper high rise towers around the country are clad in either metal panels and glass, or just glass for the high budget projects. A trip around Canary Wharf will back this up. I don't think many other options are feasible when going above 20 floors.

..

K2 changes shade. I dont know how; Im sure someone said it was chemical change- but its dependent on how much light there is. Its sometimes white; other times its a deep grey.

well its very clear that the council are not botherd about the quality of student apartments. obviously they would rather use the money on other things.

??? What money ???

..

As Rob was trying to point out - it's not the council's money...

Well the case of Opal Tower does show that Leeds really does need a tall buildings strategy (which I believe its in the process of conducting) to cater for quality such as Bridgewater Place, Lumiere and Criterion Place as opposed to mediocre stuff like Opal Tower. There is also the question into why student flats in general have to look so crap (other than the ones planned for the old BBC building). Surely there must be a quality control initative for student residences especially for the more visually prominent ones such as the Plaza and Opal Towers and why does it have to be just because its for students as opposed to yuppies or international investors that they have to look so poor with cheap breezeblock or grey plastic cladding with windows the size of a broadsheet newspaper page. :ohno: :bash: As for Opal Tower whos the architect for that thing?!

Well the case of Opal Tower does show that Leeds really does need a tall buildings strategy (which I believe its in the process of conducting) to cater for quality such as Bridgewater Place, Lumiere and Criterion Place as opposed to mediocre stuff like Opal Tower. There is also the question into why student flats in general have to look so crap (other than the ones planned for the old BBC building). Surely there must be a quality control initative for student residences especially for the more visually prominent ones such as the Plaza and Opal Towers and why does it have to be just because its for students as opposed to yuppies or international investors that they have to look so poor with cheap breezeblock or grey plastic cladding with windows the size of a broadsheet newspaper page. :ohno: :bash: As for Opal Tower whos the architect for that thing?!

But who do you expect to pay for it?

The way I see it, Leeds needs more family homes, many are currently being used by students, if you can relocate the students you free up traditional housing for families and first time buyers.

So a company like Opal are charged with providing that accomodation. They come up with a scheme that will house the students who will pay a certain amount of rent and this economy gives them a budget for building the thing. This budget is obviously going to be a great deal less than Lumiere because no student is forking out £200k for an Opal apartment, more like £60 a week!

This isn't meant to be a prestigious development, rather a solution to a problem. The design is cheap because the economy dictates that it be so. Unless you want Council Tax payers to subsidise it, just so students can live in a prettier building?

This is a budget building and that considered, I think it's pretty decent. I prefer their Burley Road scheme but I'm sure they have come up with the best design their budget would allow.

I don't know why so many people are down on this building.

But who do you expect to pay for it?

The way I see it, Leeds needs more family homes, many are currently being used by students, if you can relocate the students you free up traditional housing for families and first time buyers.

So a company like Opal are charged with providing that accomodation. They come up with a scheme that will house the students who will pay a certain amount of rent and this economy gives them a budget for building the thing. This budget is obviously going to be a great deal less than Lumiere because no student is forking out £200k for an Opal apartment, more like £60 a week!

This isn't meant to be a prestigious development, rather a solution to a problem. The design is cheap because the economy dictates that it be so. Unless you want Council Tax payers to subsidise it, just so students can live in a prettier building?

This is a budget building and that considered, I think it's pretty decent. I prefer their Burley Road scheme but I'm sure they have come up with the best design their budget would allow.

I don't know why so many people are down on this building.


I understand and agree with your first point, mistertee, but it is NOT just the point of students living in a prettier building. They will speNd only three years in it but we, the good citizens of Leeds and all who visit the city, will have to put up with what may be a visual assault for 40 or more years (or until an earlier reclad !)

..

I think someone already pointed how small windows are, more glass and lighter cladding would make it K2 clone and most of us would be happy. Little glass will make it a colossal grey monolith. I am not a pro - do windows and nicer plastic come more expensive - or is it just the case of bad artitect's work?

But who do you expect to pay for it?

The way I see it, Leeds needs more family homes, many are currently being used by students, if you can relocate the students you free up traditional housing for families and first time buyers.

So a company like Opal are charged with providing that accomodation. They come up with a scheme that will house the students who will pay a certain amount of rent and this economy gives them a budget for building the thing. This budget is obviously going to be a great deal less than Lumiere because no student is forking out £200k for an Opal apartment, more like £60 a week!

This isn't meant to be a prestigious development, rather a solution to a problem. The design is cheap because the economy dictates that it be so. Unless you want Council Tax payers to subsidise it, just so students can live in a prettier building?

This is a budget building and that considered, I think it's pretty decent. I prefer their Burley Road scheme but I'm sure they have come up with the best design their budget would allow.

I don't know why so many people are down on this building.

The first point. These family homes are now owned by landlords. They have probably been converted inside to cater for 5/6/7/8 individuals as opposed to a family. The landlords aren't gonna sell cos they're sitting on a cash cow. I don't understand your point, Also most student houses are far too big, therefore expensive, for a first time buyer.......

They aren't all Far Headingley mansions. Go to the Thornvilles in Hyde Park for example, tiny little back to backs, 2 up 2 downs. Ideal for a young couple but currently being used by students.

I'm not saying these several hundred rooms are going to make a big impact on the availability of affordable housing, but it's a start, and if it saves a few hundred drums in LS6 being turned over to students, isn't it a good thing?

I think someone already pointed how small windows are, more glass and lighter cladding would make it K2 clone and most of us would be happy. Little glass will make it a colossal grey monolith. I am not a pro - do windows and nicer plastic come more expensive - or is it just the case of bad artitect's work?

Glazing per square unit has a higher cost than cladding, especially the cheap rainscreen panels on developments such as this and other development throughout Leeds. Of course, there are also issues to do with heat loss/gain, it is impracticle and unwise to have a student tower block which is largely glazed as heating costs during the winter would be massive and heat gain in the summer would make living their difficult. Of course, in more prestigious schemes this would force the usage of mechanical ventilation systems, but student housing blocks cant afford the costs associated with these systems.

Something to look at are the principles behind the kite tower, which has large areas of cladding as opposed to large areas of glazing. This is a more sustainable way of designing towers. However, it is helpful in these situations to use high cost/quality cladding, and for a student accomodation block that is unlikely to happen.

Often, when working to such tight budgets the architect is left with few options as to what can be used, hence the "cheap" appearance of many new builds.
That being said, I dont like this building at all, but I can understand the reasoning behind the large areas of cladding.

They aren't all Far Headingley mansions. Go to the Thornvilles in Hyde Park for example, tiny little back to backs, 2 up 2 downs. Ideal for a young couple but currently being used by students.

I'm not saying these several hundred rooms are going to make a big impact on the availability of affordable housing, but it's a start, and if it saves a few hundred drums in LS6 being turned over to students, isn't it a good thing?

I have to say I agree. Freeing up some of this currently over valued housing stock may well rebalance the very obvious distortion in housing prices in the area. At present, landlords own vast swathes of Headingley, Burley and Hyde Park, pushing up prices as they convert through- terraces into squalid flats, or even cramming as many students as possible into a back to back. It should also help gentrify the area to a degree.

I'm told that there already moving out of Headingley,not in vast quantities but its a start. unfortunately the houses aren't being bought up very quickly, most are still vacant.

This building is a monstrosity; one could be forgiven for mistaking it for a prison or a keep. It will look worse year by year until it is demolished in about 2047.

It looks cheap, probably is cheap and I pity the students many years from now that will end up living within its dark decaying walls.

This reminds me of the PPE projects that resulted in schools with such appalling architecture and build quality. No public money has gone into this project of course yet it is the public who will suffer with this on the landscape, especially when the exterior turns green from algae. If this and other high rise buildings in Leeds cannot be built to a high enough standard to be visually attractive and constructed with quality materials then why bother?

Its complete nonsense that this can't be of a higher quality - do the maths - a 1000 Sq ft in LS1 (Grade II prestigious location on Wellington Street) rents for around £800 per month (excluding parking). I suspect the equivalent floor space in Opal would accommodate around 4 student tenants each paying around £300 per month. SO, £1200 per 1000 sq ft.

This development is driven by developers jumping on the student bandwagon to make a quick buck. It is poor quality because the owners will not actually be living in it themselves.

The quality of this building has less to do with economics and more to do with public perception of students (who pay no less than waged people in rent) and more to do with the politics of student accommodation. If this wasn't designed for students there probably would have been far more scrutiny of the plans.

This attitude is counterproductive because it is the people of Leeds who will have to stomach this crap and not the students that lived in it for a brief spell before coming to their senses and pissing off down to London.

Mind you, I even think Bridgewater place looks cheap - rather like recent high rise developments in former Eastern bloc countries.

Most the people who post in this forum are so desperate for high rise developments they are prepared to accept some very poor architecture. Most of the proposals for Leeds would be laughed at in the Capital.

Does anyone on this forum actually write in to the planners or raise objections to planning applications?

I'm not even sure if La Lumiere looks high quality, sure its big and tall and an interesting shape but that chequered effect? I'm not sure. The new BBC building in Leeds and Beetham in Manchester just look cheap.

It was mentioned on this forum long ago that Leeds was well placed for high rise developments as English heritage is not as active in Leeds as it is in London. Oh dear.

Well aren't you full of the fruits of life today!

I live in London, and I can tell you that Lumiere would go down extremely well indeed, along with Criterion of course.

Sure a lot of our high-rise proposals are not of the best quality, but they're a start. Just like Centre Point and Barbican. They're a path to the building of higher quality stuff in the future. No city starts off with seven Louis Vuittons, and Prada and a tube system. It has to be taken in small steps. These are our first tentative steps into the sky. We have a long way to go, but at least we're moving now.

The quality will come, just as it did in London.

Subliving.

^^ Take your southern snobbery elsewhere. Yes maybe this might not look as good as Canary wharf but i don't think you can base your whole view of Leeds upon it. Lumiere and Criterion Place are some of the best designed projects in the country and hardely look 'cheap'. I don't see how living in this building will make students suddenly decide that only London is livable in, theres plenty of shite accomodation in London as well. I don't think its going to be as bad as you make it out to be, if you look round the world even in cities like Sao paulo and shanghai, there's plenty of ugly high rises, it still looks good overall.

..

I work round the corner from this development and can't wait to see it shoot up. Will look amazing, I think it's a very nice design and will complement the surroundings. The area is already a bit of a financial district. They are going for the Canary Wharf look here for sure.

Build On!!!

At least we cant be dissapointed- heh it would be funny if it ended up to be one of the most impressive developments in the country.

any pictures of the site.
last time i looked theyre was a big hole and crane base and workers in their.
Can anyone get a snap?

...before coming to their senses and pissing off down to London...

...Most the people who post in this forum are so desperate for high rise developments they are prepared to accept some very poor architecture. Most of the proposals for Leeds would be laughed at in the Capital...

...It was mentioned on this forum long ago that Leeds was well placed for high rise developments as English heritage is not as active in Leeds as it is in London...

While agreeing with your comments about student accomodation, do I detect a bit of animosity towards Leeds generally?

For a provincial city, Leeds does okay in terms of new architecture, and the Opal tower the undisputed nadir of the current crop of applications. By contrast, considering it is the world's financial capital there are some truly terrible buildings in London - open the sunday times Home section and you will see the hideous guff regularly passed off as 'luxury apartment living' when in fact it is little better than Brewery Wharf.

You have raised some good points, many of which i have thought myself, especially the "there should be no excuse for such a poor quality building (judging by the drawings released) in such a strategically important place on the skyline" argument! If this was being built down Kirkstal Road i would think it is a good addition to the student stock, however, it is not of sufficient quality to be in the city centre. It looks to be worse than Park Plaza Hotel and that tower is an insult to my eyes!!!

As for your comments on BWP and Lumiere... well, they have a positive impact on the city centre as all here would agree!

As for your comments on BWP and Lumiere... well, they have a positive impact on the city centre as all here would agree!

Of course, they are the prime highest budget builds in Leeds this decade, tell us something we don't know.

I work round the corner from this development and can't wait to see it shoot up. Will look amazing, I think it's a very nice design and will complement the surroundings. The area is already a bit of a financial district. They are going for the Canary Wharf look here for sure.

Build On!!!

Good, I'm glad someone agrees with me. Well at least we can enjoy watching it go up, take photos etc, .. while the others sit around waiting for some gold plated architectural dream masterpiece that is never going to materialise in a million years.

Question, Rob.

This "plasticladding" that we all hate, couldn't it be textured and coloured so that it resembled something else?

Let's just remember 1)what this building replaces (crappy old run down rough pub) 2)how unprime (new word!) the location is absolute fringe of city centre, almost in Little London 3)how many cities would love a building this high (most except London/Man

Metal sheets could be textured, that shouldn't cost too much. It wouldn't bother me either way, smooth or textured.

Presumably the architects and more conservative architectural thinkers like it smooth. At least smooth can give good reflections from sunlight, blue sky etc.

Out of interest, do you hate this too? London's greatest...
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/48OneCanadaSquare_pic4.jpg

Why do people hate metal panelling so much, does it not meet with some kind of stereotypical idea of what a traditional building should look like? Perhaps that idea has moved on, perhaps people need to move with the times a bit.

Why do people hate metal panelling so much...?

Because they look ugly? We don't hate all metal cladding as a type, only this new-Leeds-look-ugly-grey-plastic-type.

There is nothing wrong with this metal cladding i.e.:

http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/204857/2/istockphoto_204857_metal_clad_building_at_reykjavik.jpg

Well, I'm not impressed with this new building at all. It's extremely disappointing. The only thing I'm grateful for in this case is that it's not one of the even taller proposals the city's got in the pipeline. It appears there is this new kind of attitude that, so long as the building is "iconic", it doesn't matter what pile of shite the architects are passing off as acceptable in their own eyes. The tragedy is that they are becoming blind to the simple fact that, as they all strive to try and outdo each other in this so-called new building boom of the 21st century, they are effectively bequeathing our cities with the sort of brutalistic sub-Corbusier atrocities that we have been lamenting ever since the mid-1950s... and that, in my view, is just the very worst thing that can happen..... and sadly, it's recurring all over again in towns and cities up and down across the land. Maybe to be an architect these days you have to ingest copious amounts of drugs?

Don't believe me? Why not ask Will Alsop for a little insight into how his creative mind works?

Of course, they are the prime highest budget builds in Leeds this decade, tell us something we don't know.

I was only making that point as an after thought, not making a grand statement about it, of course they are amazing additions to Leeds, as you rightly suggest we all know this!!!!!!

Well, I'm not impressed with this new building at all. It's extremely disappointing. The only thing I'm grateful for in this case is that it's not one of the even taller proposals the city's got in the pipeline. It appears there is this new kind of attitude that, so long as the building is "iconic", it doesn't matter what pile of shite the architects are passing off as acceptable in their own eyes. The tragedy is that they are becoming blind to the simple fact that, as they all strive to try and outdo each other in this so-called new building boom of the 21st century, they are effectively bequeathing our cities with the sort of brutalistic sub-Corbusier atrocities that we have been lamenting ever since the mid-1950s... and that, in my view, is just the very worst thing that can happen..... and sadly, it's recurring all over again in towns and cities up and down across the land. Maybe to be an architect these days you have to ingest copious amounts of drugs?

Don't believe me? Why not ask Will Alsop for a little insight into how his creative mind works?

NO WAY I HAVE JUST FINISHED WTITING MY DISSERTATION ON THIS SUBJECT. IT CONCLUDES WITH A COMPARISON OF LE CORBUSIER AND WILL ALSOPS PROPOSALS FOR TODAY. YOU ARE NOT MY TUTOR ARE YOU?

^^ ha ha ha! :laugh:

No I'm not, I don't even live in Leeds, but Cheshire. I guess sometimes, you know, great minds can think alike! :)

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I work round the corner from this development and can't wait to see it shoot up. Will look amazing, I think it's a very nice design and will complement the surroundings. The area is already a bit of a financial district. They are going for the Canary Wharf look here for sure.

Build On!!!

I'm not sure if it's quite going to be a Canary Wharf look bit it's certainly a vast improvement from that crooked black and white shack that used to be the focal point for this area! lol! How this area has changed! And a big 'phew' too!

People tend to dislike the first builds in a redeveloping area because they are a little cheaper than the iconic architectural masterpieces that we hope to see grace the city centre... however they do need to be affordable economic builds as they populate scrap land and over the years their success attracts increasingly greater quality builds.

some folks here will remember the original lack of appreciation of the chess board by some members here ...but look at it now with the surrounding developments and it could even be described as beautiful. It is located in the right place and is an attractive clean design and an asset to what was previously a derelict area... as is this build.

I'm not sure if it's quite going to be a Canary Wharf look bit it's certainly a vast improvement from that crooked black and white shack that used to be the focal point for this area! lol! How this area has changed! And a big 'phew' too!

People tend to dislike the first builds in a redeveloping area because they are a little cheaper than the iconic architectural masterpieces that we hope to see grace the city centre... however they do need to be affordable economic builds as they populate scrap land and over the years their success attracts increasingly greater quality builds.

some folks here will remember the original lack of appreciation of the chess board by some members here ...but look at it now with the surrounding developments and it could even be described as beautiful. It is located in the right place and is an attractive clean design and an asset to what was previously a derelict area... as is this build.

Well said, Molly! It was what I was trying to say earlier, but far more eloquently put.

Subliving.

Do the renders make it look that bad? I'm a bit more optimistic about Opal this morning.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_2.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j73/xapbpoh/opal2_3.jpg

I quite like it. As I said before, it's more interesting than K2, which everyone seems to go on about. I think it'll be a good addition. And just like Molly said, you need to start somewhere.

Subliving.

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Build it, Built it. It'll put Orion to shame. :hahaha:

I'm not sure if it's quite going to be a Canary Wharf look bit it's certainly a vast improvement from that crooked black and white shack that used to be the focal point for this area!

You mean Winston's Health Club :)

Build it, Built it. It'll put Orion to shame. :hahaha:

You're such a f***ing sadistic regionalist thug aren't you?? Get some therapy!!! :lol:

Firstly I said they are going for the "Canary Wharf look", not the actual development. Just excited by the developments being so close together to create a block of skyscrapers on one of the highest point in the city already. It will look higher than bridgewater place from most angles. I already see the Tower North block from South Leeds and it stands out high!!

They are also re-doing the Yorkshire Bank HQ, the area will be fantastic soon.

Also check out below link for more pics

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=2267

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Another thing in favour of metal panels is they don't really age, any white/light natural/ceramic type material can discolour very quickly. Those that don't like the metal panels, at least they'll stay looking clean and new long after other finishes (in the same budget league)have grubbied up. That helps counter the worries that future generations may regret some of the buildings going up now.

However you have a good point about the red, it could look great and add a real colour feature but does need to be stable long term. I don't know what form it would take.

Wouldn't the red section of Opal fade like a red t-shirt into appearing pink in appearance over time? Wonder why they couldn't use a more conventional dark blue or green on this development?

..

I have written to the marketing team at Ocon Construction asking when they were going to include this development on their website and this is the reply:

"At the moment we do not have any information on the scheme, however I am able to tell you that we will be having a camera on site which will be taking photographs from the crane every hour, these pictures will then be loaded on to the website so that you are able to view the progress.



As you are aware, we do try to update our website regularly so information should be available on that soon. As soon as we receive further information we will be sure to issue it to you"



Should be good to have another camera to view progress on site, after watching the BWP camera for 3 years.

I work round the corner from this development and can't wait to see it shoot up. Will look amazing, I think it's a very nice design and will complement the surroundings. The area is already a bit of a financial district. They are going for the Canary Wharf look here for sure.

Build On!!!

sorry to be sniffy, but its hardly comparable.

Am afraid I'm not warming one bit. I just see a looming grey box with little character aside from a gimmicky red stripe and fin. Can only really judge in the flesh, but I can't get excited or optimistic about this. I suppose the height is correct for its location and acts as a twin for Tower North, but anymore of this height in this location and we'll have a wall of towers along the Inner Ring Road. Not something we should be aiming for IMO.

all said, I rather like Opal 1. good location, correct height, reasonable finish, few gimmicks and a bit of wood cladding and jaunty angles. Beats my old Hall of Residence in Newcastle down to the ground, albeit lacking 6 rugby and hockey pitches.

The view of the city centre from Woodhouse Lane is pretty grim at the moment, with about five grey towers in the mix - Tower North, Merrion House, College of Technology, Wade House and K2. It tells students walking into town one thing - "Leeds is a ugly dump, get out or die".
A few decent towers and some sensitive redevelopment would sort this area out, Portland Gate and Brunswick Place are good beginnings in this respect, but two more mediocre towers in dullest grey will not bring the north west fringe of the city up at all. :cry:

It tells students walking into town one thing - "Leeds is a ugly dump, get out or die".


If that's your view then stay away. Perhaps Coventry looks much brighter, but the towers of Leeds look great and literally sparkle on a sunny day (of which we have more than our fair share). There is such a massive waiting list of students trying to get in to Leeds, It's evident that there aren't many put off by the image of central Leeds, quite the opposite it would appear.

For those who are keen to see this go up, here are updated photos today. Quite a bit of progress is being made, this basement area has appeared with central column supports, and the outer support columns are being worked around.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid222/p3b9947477a0bf245d87db9cb8cd4cc6c/eb1cf58e.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid222/pee2a825dfb91c524b839e8f2f4a85d4a/eb1cf5b7.jpg

so quick. im impressed :)

They must be aiming to finish it by summer 2008 - so we can expect it growing very fast.

For those who are keen to see this go up, here are updated photos today. Quite a bit of progress is being made, this basement area has appeared with central column supports, and the outer support columns are being worked around.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid222/p3b9947477a0bf245d87db9cb8cd4cc6c/eb1cf58e.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid222/pee2a825dfb91c524b839e8f2f4a85d4a/eb1cf5b7.jpg

..........and what will be a big red crane is going up...........what a great start to the new year.

If that's your view then stay away. Perhaps Coventry looks much brighter, but the towers of Leeds look great and literally sparkle on a sunny day (of which we have more than our fair share). There is such a massive waiting list of students trying to get in to Leeds, It's evident that there aren't many put off by the image of central Leeds, quite the opposite it would appear.

You misunderstand my intentions, Rob.
i was trying to say the area doesn't do justice to Leeds as a city, and that i don't feel another couple of grey panelled tall buildings will provide a proper solution to the problem.
In my view, the Woodhouse Lane area gives Leeds a very austere, unappealling feel, it's seemed that way to me ever since my Dad started parking there in the 1980s. While other areas of Leeds have been transformed (the east end for example), Woodhouse Lane has stayed pretty much the same. Tower North Central is an improvement, not so much in periods of dismal weather but an improvement nonetheless, however I'd prefer to see this area looking modern and funky, rather than resembling colourless Coventry.


http://www.leodis.net/imagesLeodis/screen/73/2002610_25497073.jpg

Noticed this today, perhaps need to resurrect the thread later.


To consider and approve the terms provisionally agreed with Leeds Metropolitan University for the University's acquisition of Council owned land at Portland Gate, Leeds 1 (to the rear of Civic Hall).

Decision Type: Key

Decision Status: For Determination

Decision By: Executive Board

Decision Due: 24 Jan 2007

Contact: Director of Development.

Consultation Process

You misunderstand my intentions, Rob.
i was trying to say the area doesn't do justice to Leeds as a city, and that i don't feel another couple of grey panelled tall buildings will provide a proper solution to the problem.
In my view, the Woodhouse Lane area gives Leeds a very austere, unappealling feel, it's seemed that way to me ever since my Dad started parking there in the 1980s. While other areas of Leeds have been transformed (the east end for example), Woodhouse Lane has stayed pretty much the same. Tower North Central is an improvement, not so much in periods of dismal weather but an improvement nonetheless, however I'd prefer to see this area looking modern and funky, rather than resembling colourless Coventry.


http://www.leodis.net/imagesLeodis/screen/73/2002610_25497073.jpg

Mind you there are some architectural gems (although overwhelmed by modernist concrete) are still there such as the old City of Leeds School, the building occupied by Yates's and Baha and Queens Square. Perhaps they should put a great grand building by Norman Foster on Woodhouse Lane next to the planned Leeds Met Uni Rose Bowl. :cheers: Anyway at least be grateful its just a small section of Leeds city centre and not the whole lot like Coventry which although tragically destroyed in WW2 has even been more wrecked by poor architects and town planners of the 1950s and 1960s. :ohno:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Coventry_precinct_and_spire.jpg/500px-Coventry_precinct_and_spire.jpg

The view of the city centre from Woodhouse Lane is pretty grim at the moment, with about five grey towers in the mix - Tower North, Merrion House, College of Technology, Wade House and K2. It tells students walking into town one thing - "Leeds is a ugly dump, get out or die".
wow I can't believe you wrote that!
You are suffering SAD... the glory of the metallic cladding of say K2 is they are actually very colourful and they reflect the mood of the day..so on a grey days yes the city will look dull as will any view be it city of countryside...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid61/p26b1dece00bf9844b686bde835e1d605/fc2d3f8f.jpg
K2 just after the reclad..did you prefer the old look cos if you did you are on your own!


some people here are really getting a bout of the depressives ... just cos it's winter or just cos the city is not fitting some idealistic fantasy does not make it a dump. Leeds is hardly scraping the bottom of the barrel regarding the progress this city has made in recent years... we are seeing growth and improvements that are so great this should be knocking us of our feet with delight!

Mind you there are some architectural gems (although overwhelmed by modernist concrete) are still there such as the old City of Leeds School, the building occupied by Yates's and Baha and Queens Square. Perhaps they should put a great grand building by Norman Foster on Woodhouse Lane next to the planned Leeds Met Uni Rose Bowl. :cheers: Anyway at least be grateful its just a small section of Leeds city centre and not the whole lot like Coventry which although tragically destroyed in WW2 has even been more wrecked by poor architects and town planners of the 1950s and 1960s. :ohno:


The quality of archietcure in Cov is alright considering the limited funds the country had for re-building after the second world war.

I don't like the view of Leeds from the path next to Woodhouse Lane car park and i don't think it does any favours for student opinions of their newly adopted city. With a little effort it could be a fantastic gateway. I've got nothing against TNcentral or k2 btw, but the latter doesn't show its best side to the uni)

However, my utopianism risks running up against what can actually be achieved in reality.

http://www.picturesofengland.com/pictures/1000/Leeds_1116538438.jpg

It tells students walking into town one thing - "Leeds is a ugly dump, get out or die".

di Livio your lame arguments don't even slightly justify or excuse such a disgraceful comment.

Your opinion is based on nothing but extreme negativity and dislike for the city. Basically what are you on! lol! If you don't like it don't look at it or stay away but don't make such awful nonsensical and totally unjustifiable comments!

I would be happy to see you edit that tasteless and insulting comment and make it more reasonable rather than you post lame attempts to justify it.

it does present the eye with a wall of grey and grim architecture, as soon as you get to the merrion centre things look a lot better though!
The whole area needs a master plan as it is one of the key entry points to the city centre..they seem to be encouraging peacemeal student developments which are adding little to the quality of buildings.

di Livio your lame arguments don't even slightly justify or excuse such a disgraceful comment.

Your opinion is based on nothing but extreme negativity and dislike for the city. Basically what are you on! lol! If you don't like it don't look at it or stay away but don't make such awful nonsensical and totally unjustifiable comments!

I would be happy to see you edit that tasteless and insulting comment and make it more reasonable rather than you post lame attempts to justify it.


I don't really get why everyone's so defensive today. I wasn't saying 'Leeds is an ugly dump' I was merely making the point that this could be what students think as they're making their way from campus into town. They may be resident in Leeds for three years, but we want people to stay in the city beyond that period, don't we?? Woodhouse Lane sends out all the wrong signals.

A bit like me, evidently.

3 years is along time, one would hope that they would see other parts of the city. although it isn't the greatest, you still have the civic hall there and some lovely Edwardian buildings.

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I don't really get why everyone's so defensive today. I wasn't saying 'Leeds is an ugly dump' I was merely making the point that this could be what students think as they're making their way from campus into town. They may be resident in Leeds for three years, but we want people to stay in the city beyond that period, don't we?? Woodhouse Lane sends out all the wrong signals.

A bit like me, evidently.
because our comment about Leeds was exceptionally rude and offensive to our city! If I went onto any other city forum here with a comment like that I'd expect all the members there to tear me to shreds! And rightly too!

When we were students we didn't expect to stay in the Ritz! Student were not given the best areas of the city..and I'd hope that to be the same now. AS Students you look to see where you could live and why you could look out on if you work hard and do well in life... if you started at the top then the rest of your life will be a little bit of a disappointment!


Even now with years of work and crawling up the property ladder my view of the city from my house isn't the best...if I want a good city view I either go to the highest point in my house and get out my telephoto lens or else I go and find what I want to look at..I don't expect it to come to me. And as you can equate university to ones place of work then how many people can boast a good view from their desk! Most places I've worked haven't even given me a window!

Having said that I have a delightful view from my house and I also find the Leeds University very attractive and know it is popular with Students and always having a good reputation with a high number of Students deciding to remain in Leeds.

When Students choose a University the come they see they make their choice..some like the thatched cottage... some the sea..some the small town some the city... as far as cities go I'd hardly call even the view of Leeds from the University ugly or one that would push one to suicide! Students who feel that way would hopefully stay away from our beautiful thriving city and leave the university places for those with taste who know how to enjoy city life and what to expect of a city.

I normally park at Woodhouse lane and if it's good enough for me and the vast amount of citizens who park there and pass through this part of the city each week then it's good enough for Students. I graduated at Leeds Uni 20 yes ago and even then I was impressed by the University. My first impression on arriving at this part of Leeds was Wow! And it has improved since then! Slowly but improving all the same ...the car park is superb compared to a few years back, as is the walk into the city which is not only cleaner and brighter but also much safer! And the subway is not full of sleeping homeless people! I find that more pleasant!:)

I don't really get why everyone's so defensive today. I wasn't saying 'Leeds is an ugly dump' I was merely making the point that this could be what students think as they're making their way from campus into town. They may be resident in Leeds for three years, but we want people to stay in the city beyond that period, don't we?? Woodhouse Lane sends out all the wrong signals.

A bit like me, evidently.

I still like you:)

You misunderstand my intentions, Rob.
i was trying to say the area doesn't do justice to Leeds as a city, and that i don't feel another couple of grey panelled tall buildings will provide a proper solution to the problem. In my view, the Woodhouse Lane area gives Leeds a very austere, unappealling feel

Yes as it has done since my dad started his career working in the Merrion Centre in the 70's...it's never been one of the nicer parts of the city centre and I doubt it ever will but so what? As you quite rightly say this area doesn't do justice to the city but it is after all just one area...I doubt most people will judge Leeds in its entirety based on this part of town alone, even if they live there or close by. Which makes the comment you made "It tells students walking into town one thing - "Leeds is a ugly dump, get out or die" seem...well rather silly really.

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DiLivio, your comment overstepped the mark, I think you must realise that. I moderated my response when I replied before, I could have replied much stronger.

I respect your opinion and you have a valid point to some extent, but I've always learned to take a balanced view, and look at both sides of the story. We certainly have to be realistic about what to expect, and if this cladding is all Opal can afford for this fringe location, then that's the best we can have. But it's clean, neat, bright in good skies and another good high rise on the skyline. You have to see Leeds in different lighting to appreciate what I mean about this kind of cladding, you cannot judge this at all by renders alone.

I still like you:)
Me too.:) I also have gone through the Leodis database with a fine tooth comb.

I still like you:)
no one is not liking di Livio ... everyone loves di Livio .. di Livio is very nice... but I just strongly objected to one comment which trashed this city and which also seemed out of character for such an informed and respected member here. and when push comes to shove I love this city more than I love di Livio! Very simple! It is not a personal issue....nor is it even an issue! lol Sorry if my reaction to this comment has been interpreted as offensive..it was not intended to be. :)

larven put it very well and much more tactfully. :)

I still like you:)

Cheers, boss. :bowtie:

My comment, 'Leeds is an ugly dump, get out or die', was an attempt to get inside the head of a Leeds Uni student having to make that trip everyday. It wasn't an attempt to trash the city at all.

I really like the view of the Parkinson building and the two spires from Woodhouse Lane, they're iconic, and I love the density of Albion Street past Merrion Street, but the section in between could do with a couple of 'Blue'-like buildings to make it a bit, well, funkier for students living their young, trendy, classless lives.
'Only connect' I say.

calm down calm down, as the scousers say

Some better renders would be good. Hopefully we'll obtain something a bit clearer, which will give a better idea of what is coming.

Any new pics of this development u/c yet.
Maybe soon ocon.com will ad this to their database?

Update on the other Opal project

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/101/368394557_7be13051b7.jpg
Courtesy of Flickr

That Opal 1 phase 2 is really taking shape now, the roof form is mostly sloping up towards phase 1, should be interesting when it starts to 'fill out' a bit more.

As for Opal Tower, here's the latest site photos as of yesterday ..

for those with architecturally weak stomachs, look away now ;) -



http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid223/p28cdc17e8b1fcef52ed1824adc3db6f8/eae5ba65.jpg

Wade Lane (east) side of site.


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid223/pd05a9693545f4d5dacc5d164816d413a/eae5ba7b.jpg

west side of site near Tower North.

I think I'll hold fire on being too critical on this tower, and await it's construction. Having being harshly critical of The Gateway, I now love that particular scheme. I have a feeling that this, although not being one of the best towers to grace the Leeds skyline, won't be all that bad. Anything that hides the view of Carlton Towers et al from the city centre, is no bad thing......

Noticed at this tower today that they are bringing parts of the red crane for this tower onto the site. Also there is a very tall yellow portable crane that is clearly visible and appears taller than Tower North Central that I guess is used to erect the main crane for this site and is there one crane or more than one crane for this site? Anyway are they starting construction on the frame of this building already?

there probably trying to get it done by the start of next years 1st term, ie September 2008, well we wont have to wait to long to pass judgement on it then!

is there one crane or more than one crane for this site? Anyway are they starting construction on the frame of this building already?

There is only one tower crane base at present. As for progress, see the photos a couple of posts back, the basement level and columns from ground to first are starting to take shape now at the south end of the site.

Just had a look from my upstairs window as I can see Tower North; no sign of the crane yet but it will probably take a couple of days to put up.

Ooooooooooooo its a big 'un!!

Just passed the crane tonight and its at full height. Just the arm/cross beam (or whatever its called) to connect. It towers over Tower North Central, and is going to be a real sight on the horizon. It must be at least 100m tall.

Also passed it tonight it must be the largest crane in leeds,it towers of north central.

Just had a sneaky peek from my window and the crane seems to be complete, its easily the heighest thing on the skyline from my vantage point over at Temple Newsam!

I took a number of photos of this earlier today from points around the city centre. I wont be able to upload them til Sunday night, but I can tell you now that a) it's massive, probably 80-90m, and b) the tower is going to have a massive impact from Briggate.

Strange that they've put the crane to full height strainght away?

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I took a quick snap shot of it from my upstairs window (here in Horsforth) just to show how much taller it is than Tower North. A bit small and hazy but it gives the impression.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid223/pb9ce2a09f44e236b1ff0416ff2be92f1/ead1a875.jpg

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