[cnosni]

City Reach, Kirkstall Rd.

A tiny bit of progress, in the form of a conditional discharge (17/07391/COND) for one condition of the outline application 15/06844/OT.

This isn't very significant, but is perhaps a sign of some intention to progress the scheme.

https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/o...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=OZ6WWBJBFSA00

https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/o...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=NXWBMIJB17S00

I wish I had your optimism on this one.

I'd love to see the whole stretch of this part of the river developed.

 

[LS6]

We'll see if this is all talk or if these guys are serious...

New PRS developer Inhabit launches with £1bn plans

A new private rented sector (PRS) developer called Inhabit has launched with a portfolio of seven sites that are to be developed into 3,500 homes for rent.

The company, which is funded by various international investors and led by former hotelier Ana Nekhamkin, is also looking for new sites and is prepared to forward-fund other developers as well as develop itself. Its ambition is to build a PRS portfolio spread across the major UK regional cities worth more than £1bn.

Planning permission has been granted or is expected imminently on six of the seven sites, which are spread across Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Birmingham and Bristol.

In the coming months, Inhabit will start construction in Manchester, with a view to developing the remaining sites soon afterwards, so that all seven are built out in two to three years.

Nekhamkin said Inhabit would be pitched at the premium end of the market, mainly by virtue of its city centre locations rather than the range of amenities.

“We’re not going for luxury, but we will have high-quality apartments,” she said. “We’re not looking to replicate the amenities in the US. There is a change in people’s aspirations in the UK, but people do still want to own.

“If you’re asking them to pay an extra £1 in rent, that’s £1 that you’re taking away from their future house, so you really have to justify it. You have to offer value for money.”

In practice, this means that Inhabit’s flats will have a concierge offering a basic range of services and gyms if there are none nearby.

Nekhamkin said Inhabit would also resist pushing the brand too hard and aim to offer tenants flexibility and choice. For example, flats will be individually decorated without imposing brand colours or motifs, and tenants will be free to repaint walls.

“We don’t want people to feel as if they’re living in a brand,” said Nekhamkin.

As the company builds out its development sites over the coming year, it will it will also be recruiting to establish its operating team.

“We’ve a long-term perspective,” said Nekhamkin. “Our intention is to own and operate the portfolio, not indefinitely, but for some time.”

Website is live but no details on it:
http://www.inhabit.co.uk/

 

[JamesWCSB]

“We don’t want people to feel as if they’re living in a brand”

I like the sly dig at other developers, like Moda.

 

[Rob]

I presume everyone saw the Pre App report for the new City Reach scheme, with revisions to the approved 'City Reach 1', and the proposal for the new 'City Reach 2'.

The link is below if anyone hasn't (and would like to).

http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/documents/s168338/PREAPP1700602.pdf

 

[tigerman]

I presume everyone saw the Pre App report for the new City Reach scheme, with revisions to the approved 'City Reach 1', and the proposal for the new 'City Reach 2'.

The link is below if anyone hasn't (and would like to).

http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/documents/s168338/PREAPP1700602.pdf

So are we assuming that this is the Leeds site that this new developer is referring to?

 

[Rob]

It appears to be the same developer, so I assume so.

 

[Ttebroc]

A whole bunch of applications are being submitted including a Reserved Matters for CR1 (the site closest to the town centre), applications to amend the building heights slightly and discharge all but 2 pre-commencement conditions, and a hybrid application for temporary car park and outline permission for residential development of the second plot CR2.

There's only one application live now but the details of all the others are in the covering letter, here: https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/o...s.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=NXWBMIJB17S00

 

[LS6]

Would be a real boost if this one gets off the starting blocks, here's hoping!

Edit, just seen the fee's for submitting the planning:

Inhabit have paid the requisite planning application fee of £125,620 via BACS transfer

You would hope they are serious about getting on with it if they are willing to pay this much in planning fee's!

 

[shed7]

 

[Aaronj09]

Looks pretty good, though there seems to be a rather large amount of wasted space.. or maybe that's just me.

Still, just get it built please!

 

[10123]

So they must own a large bit of land as the first phase is only the right half of that render.

The design itself is interesting. I would have liked a line of buildings facing the main road as while its nice to have so much greenspace it not like there is much going on north of the development. A multi story car park seems more appropriate than the surface car park shown as well, an area like this would be perfect for light rail, its a bit of a joke that the only real route into town is by car.

I hope LCC look into some sort of cycling provisions along the river connecting this scheme to the West End, a Boris bike style scheme would be perfect along here.

 

[Leeds No.1]

I echo the above that there's too much green space. We all want more green space in general, but consolidated into parks, squares and high quality recreational areas. When it separates one building from the next so widely, you end up with no sense of place. We need streets, not blocks floating lost in a sea of green. I worry this will be like Seacroft in 30 years time.

 

[Ttebroc]

I echo the above that there's too much green space. We all want more green space in general, but consolidated into parks, squares and high quality recreational areas. When it separates one building from the next so widely, you end up with no sense of place. We need streets, not blocks floating lost in a sea of green. I worry this will be like Seacroft in 30 years time.

They're only fully applying for the right-most part of the render, and outline for the next 'segment' along. There's so much green because it looks pretty in CGI, but the reality will be a lot more built up when it comes to it.

 

[Loiner's Girders]

I actually prefer the green space. Otherwise it becomes too dense and unwelcoming as a place to live. It's a good combination like this.

its a bit of a joke that the only real route into town is by car.

The only real route into town is on foot. The corner of the site is literally 300m from the inner ring road!

 

[LS6]

Love it, nice variation of quality looking materials and variation in heights without looking disproportionate to each other. I like the space between each building, gives the impression that the developer is not trying to cram as much onto the plots as possible.

 

[Ballymoney]

If I was looking to live in one of these apartments the amount of green space would be a huge positive in my eyes. On one of the 3 hot sunny days a year we get I'd imagine the green space to be a fun and vibrant place to be. On the other 362 days it's simply pleasant.

Very nice looking proposal.

 

[Leeds No.1]

I actually prefer the green space. Otherwise it becomes too dense and unwelcoming as a place to live. It's a good combination like this.

But the way to do green space is like this:

Rather than:

 

[Ballymoney]

Rather than:

But how would you improve the bottom pic? By adding more tower blocks in close proiximity replacing the green space? how is that an improvement for the residents and bypasers? Genuinely confused how green space can be seen as a negative here unless i'm missing your point?

 

[Loiner's Girders]

But the way to do green space is like this:

I disagree that this is the only way to do green space. I would find the need to have to walk a distance through traffic for my 'own' green space something of a drag. And I've spent much time in the area of this particular image and find many of the green spaces underused and some even locked. You can't include Hyde Park in your example as it's one of the great parks of the capital, not some local green space specifically for the benefit of the residents. The vast majority of the residents in that shot look out only onto other buildings. City Reach aims to break up such monotony. I don't think there's any point trying to compare any of this to the council estate in the last shot.

 

[kashikai]

That's why I dislike residential towers. It's bad for density, at least for nice developments.
If the density is too high, it becomes oppressing with a ghetto feeling.

Whereas 5/6 stories buildings creating new streets is so much nicer and efficient.