Bright Outlook For Leeds Construction Sector

Leeds is leading the way in the levelling up drive, Construction Enquirer reports. In 2021, the Yorkshire city even overtook the dynamic new development rates of Manchester, according to Deloitte’s Regional Crane Survey. There is a particular surge in the construction of new student accommodation, with 2,226 bedspaces in the pipeline.

Across residential, student, and office schemes, Leeds saw a record 22 new starts during 2021, compared to 12 during 2020. Although Manchester had a higher number of new starts overall at 25, this represented no increase from the 2020 figure.

Daniel Barlow, managing partner for regional markets at Deloitte, said: “It’s encouraging to see overall construction activity remaining resilient across regional cities, despite a number of challenges.”

He added: “Regional cities are gearing up for a good pipeline of development for 2022. There is expected to be an uplift in construction across all sectors, as the levelling up agenda progresses, with further investment in centres.”

Construction News reports on another new project for Leeds, as work is set to begin on a £60m student accommodation block on Merrion Street, the site of a former Santander building in the city centre. London-based contractor HG Construction have been appointed by Scape to deliver the scheme.

The two blocks will consist of 32 storeys and 11 storeys respectively, with a total of 693 bedrooms. The tallest block will reach a height of over 100m, making it one of the tallest buildings in Leeds.

The glass-fronted structures will benefit from a cinema, gym, and communal kitchens, study and breakout areas, and outside space. There will also be a fourth-floor balcony and ground floor cycle storage, plus two retail units.

Planning permission was granted in 2020, despite some objections, including one from Leeds Civic Trust about the overbearing and intrusive nature of the building. Other complaints expressed concern about antisocial behaviour and noise.

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