Trinity, Leeds | 1m sq ft retail development | Now open!

[JOliver]

One of the best news this year IMO. As stores are closing down, the place looks like a derelict site. New image - a pity it's overshrunk - looks more promissing than the ones we had before.

[Leeds No.1]

http://www.driversjonas.com/uk.aspx?doc=3271

[Leeds_John]

[JOliver]

Property Week mentions 2009 as a new completion date. Achievable, if they start early next year.

USS Trinity Quarter purchase order confirmed

Universities Superannuation Scheme has received confirmation of the compulsory purchase order by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for Trinity Quarter in Leeds
07.11.2006
By Daniel Thomas

This gives USS the Green light for its plans for the 300,000 sq ft (27,870sq m) covered shopping centre in the heart of Leeds city centre.

Jones Lang LaSalle has now been appointed to secure a joint venture development partner for the shopping centre development, which will create three levels of shopping, linking directly to Leeds’ prime retail pitch, with 45,000 sq ft (4,180 sq m) of offices above. The scheme is set to open in 2009.

[di Livio]

It will take around 32 months to build so it could be close to starting (at last).

[LeedsLad]

It will be pretty cool being able to shop under cover from City Square to Briggate...
Just need a roof on Briggate now and then you could shop under cover from City Sq to Vicar Lane!

[jimbo]

an article in Estates Gazette basically echoed the Property Week article, but said it spelt the end of a potential 'super' shopping centre which could be up to 1m sq ft. This was mooted as a plan by Land Securities (who bought the neighbouring Leeds Shopping Plaza from Tops Estates), and who were planning to try and combine the schemes.

The granting of CPOs to USS gives them the green light to crack on unhindered, and develop a much more spectacular scheme themselves without Land Securities getting in on the act. The only issue is that the bottom of Albion Street will literally be the dividing line between two competing developers, so don't expect it to be massively improved anytime soon.

From the renders we've seen, I think the Trinity Quarter could be a great addition to the City's shopping experience. St Johns, the Headrow Centre and the Merrion Centre are not grade A shopping experiences - the Victoria Quarter and the Light are really the only the quality experiences to be had IMO (as shopping centres, not counting the Market or Corn Exchange which are quality in their own ways).

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by LeedsLad

It will be pretty cool being able to shop under cover from City Square to Briggate...
Just need a roof on Briggate now and then you could shop under cover from City Sq to Vicar Lane!

argggh! have you ever been to Newcastle and the Eldon Square shopping centre? You can walk from Haymarket to Northumberland Street and Gray Street undercover. Its awful - can't think of anything worse, literally cutting off bits of the City. Open Edwardian streets, mixed with a couple of glass roofed arcades connecting individual shopping centres must be the right answer.

[LeedsLad]

OK I'll retract "It will be pretty cool being able to shop under cover from City Square to Briggate..." and replace it with "It will be pretty cool on a rainy day being able to shop under cover from City Square to Briggate..."

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by LeedsLad

OK I'll retract "It will be pretty cool being able to shop under cover from City Square to Briggate..." and replace it with "It will be pretty cool on a rainy day being able to shop under cover from City Square to Briggate..."

fair point sport! I thought you were alluding to covering the streets around Lands Lane etc etc. Not sure where that came from, its been a long day.

[LeedsLad]

Fair enough - One of the major disadvantages city centres have against out of town centres are weather and parking. Leeds will have a real advantage over other cities and out of town centres if it's a little more weatherproof! Enter Leeds Shopping Plaza from City Sq, over the bridge to Trinity Quarter and out onto Briggate. Then if Briggate had a roof up to the other arcades and finish on Vicar Lane by coming out of VQ!!
One of my favourite 'proposals' was the roof for Briggate, would have to be very impressive - better than VQ glazed roof even... But I know a lot of people don't like the idea anyway and it's unlikely...

[Leeds No.1]

In all fairness Leeds isn't bad on a rainy day; unlike many cities you can do much of the centre undercover; there are no long outdoor crosses really- City Square and Dortmund Square the main ones really. You can spend enough time in the Trinity Qtr/Shopping Plaza then make a dash for The Headrow Centre, which isnt far from The Light (you can go under the JJB shelter). And St Johns/Merrion. Its really not that bad! Lots of covered spaces. And it rarely rains that heavy.

[LeedsLad]

Malls aren't great - you have to specifically go to the shop rather than pass it like you would on a street. That's why I think St Johns and Merrion work better than Headrow - people flow through them as they are a route like a street. Headrow you tend to go in specifically - the top floors are dead sometimes. I think Trinity will be a success as it will be similar to a street...

[Leeds No.1]

I agree. St John's is always busy. Headrow should be demolished and converted to either office blocks or have some innovative design to make it into a succesful shopping centre; ie encourage pedestrian flows through it. Saying all that, they should just demolish it (not because its a bad building; bit dated fair enough, but not ugly or in need of repair)- but it would be more profitable as something else. A large department store unit would be good here; it would make an excellent site for a large Selfridges or John Lewis.

[LeedsLad]

Doesn't help that if you do want to 'flow' through it you have to nip through HMV and up/down the escalator - always feel suspicious going through having not even browsed/purchased...

[di Livio]

Originally Posted by LeedsLad

Doesn't help that if you do want to 'flow' through it you have to nip through HMV and up/down the escalator - always feel suspicious going through having not even browsed/purchased...

You can get from Vicar Lane to Albion Street undercover (and in a straight line) by going through VQ, the Queens Arcade, the Headrow Centre, and what is affectionately known as 'tramp alley'.

The original Trinity Street extended from the back of M&S to Boar Lane.








I wonder whether the money from TQ is funding some of the restoration of the church which is going on at the moment??

[Stig282]

Chances of Habitat coming back? Perhaps they would enjoy a prestigious location like the new Trinity Quarter?

[Leeds No.1]

No you can't... you have to cross Vicar Lane, Briggate and Lands Lane!

As for Habitat- Id say very very likely they will return to Leeds City Centre. Im sure they only moved out because of this redevelopment- they will either move back in here, at Broadgate or Harewood Qtr.

[di Livio]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

No you can't... you have to cross Vicar Lane, Briggate and Lands Lane!

While holding an umbrella, of course.

[Even Flow]

As has been mentioned, many shops that are still open have red banners on the front saying closing due to redevelopment e.g Peter Jones, the bookshop etc, intrigingly, the bookshop says "6 weeks left" underneath the sign saying closing down, but I dont know whether this refers to the actual closing or to Christmas??!!