Quarry Hill development

[ps60]

What was said back in 2003

Quarry Hill development agreed


An artists impression of the new Quarry Hill development

Councillors have given the go-ahead to the final site awaiting development in Leeds' cultural quarter on Quarry Hill.

Leeds City Council's Executive Board agreed the shape of the final development on Wednesday 11 June.

The successful scheme will still need to gain planning approval.

The succesful proposal is for a mixed-use scheme consisting of office and residential properties including private and student housing, and some retail and leisure units at ground floor level.

New public car parking and public areas are included into the scheme, occupying an eight-acre site on Quarry Hill (currently used as a public car park).

Work is due to start on site in early summer 2004.

The new BBC building in Leeds is also on the Quarry Hill site.

Caddick Developments Ltd have been selected as the preferred developer for the scheme which will bring an estimated £65m of investment into the area.

Councillor Elizabeth Minkin, executive member for development, says: "I am pleased to announce that we have agreed on our preferred scheme in principle for Quarry Hill.

"Once we have ironed out the finer details, this development will be the final piece in the Quarry Hill jigsaw.

"It will make this area of the city centre a lively hub of activity, day and night, and complement existing occupiers such as the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds College of Music and the BBC."

[Fred2]

>>>>>Work is due to start on site in early summer 2004>>>>>

Well it's summer 2005 now and no sign of work starting !

[ps60]

Originally Posted by Fred2

>>>>>Work is due to start on site in early summer 2004>>>>>

Well it's summer 2005 now and no sign of work starting !

Thats what they promised us back in 2003, and any promised start date must be taken with rather more than a pinch of salt.

[Leeds No.1]

Didn't the WY Playhouse say they would lose out because there was a lack of parking in the scheme? Maybe it is being redesigned with more parking, or just more parking added on?

[ahmedd]

Both the The Council and the Civic Trust have blasted the current designs for being too bland, I think this is back on the drawing boards.

[ps60]

Leeds Civic Trust website says:

Objection to the scale and massing of the buildings, lack of green open space. See lettter to planning. It pulls no punches.

[ps60]

Projected Quarry Hill that was panned by LCT.

[Leeds No.1]

1) I've never seen that rednering of it.
2) I didn't particularly mind the scheme although there was a lack of green space.

[Talisker]

I can't think of a single positive thing to say about this development in it's present state. There's just no excuse for such blandness and lack of imagination, other than pure financial gain.

The planners should be thinking about how this relates to the nearby harewood quarter redevelopment to create a lively attractive eastern edge of the city centre with a true sense of place.

[Leeds No.1]

Could there be alot more retail and leisure space put into the development than originally proposed to alomst extend the core city centre? Or do you think it would provide too much retail space so that its just the same stores again, or so its just empty....

[ps60]

And there's also this part 10 and part 11 storey office complex which will add to the ever widening range of public and commercial developments in the Quarry Hill area of the city.

[Leeds No.1]

Yeah I know, I quite like that building though and it should provide a feeling of density to make quite a good entrance into the city centre from the north.

[jimbo]

Here's a shot of the College of Music extension taken in March. Shows the Playhouse, CoM and BBC studios with Quarry House hulking in the background. Will get a better update shot of the CoM extension this weekend as the glass cladding looks rather fetching indeed.

[Leeds No.1]

hmm. I don't like it, but then again I havent had a good look. Ive heard it looks better in real life than in photos so Ill have a look tommorow.

[ps60]

And there was also this at Quarry Hill for a 9-storey hotel

Application 20/19/04/RM
Description
9 storey hotel, casino, bars, and restaurants with multi level basement car park
Location
Quarry Hill, Eastgate, LS1
Decision Permission Granted Decision Date 11/06/2004

[di Livio]

Better quality rendering of the DLG proposal.

[Leeds No.1]

Where are you getting all of these from!? It looks pretty good IMO, follows a similar style to Clarence Dock... I hope theres some Green Space incorporated into it too. Quarry House will be 'split up' a bit by new buildings around it, but the front of it should still provide the focal point for Quarry Hill and The Headrow/Eastgate.

[Fred2]

Originally Posted by di Livio

Better quality rendering of the DLG proposal.

Don't think it is much of an improvement. Where is the Playhouse in relation to this picture ? As for Quarry House being 'split up' - short of knocking it down (which I would prefer) couldn't it be given a face lift ?

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by Fred2

Don't think it is much of an improvement. Where is the Playhouse in relation to this picture ? As for Quarry House being 'split up' - short of knocking it down (which I would prefer) couldn't it be given a face lift ?

that view could be right in front of Millgarth looking towards Quarry House. you can see the slated roof of the Playhouse in the bottom right. That render looks much better and more realistic than the only other image of the Caddick scheme which ps60 posted. Looks a bit like Franklin House with the jaunty angled glass corners.

[Leeds No.1]

I quite like Quarry House. I think the playhouse is those brown rooves infront of the white triangular building on the right.