Eastgate Quarter: Team behind £1bn bid to revitalise ‘forgotten’ part of Leeds hope to leave ‘lasting legacy’
The newly-appointed team behind a £1bn bid to revitalise a “forgotten” part of Leeds city centre have said they hope to leave a “lasting legacy” in the city.
If approved, the Eastgate Quarter plan will see the transformation of a 4-hectare site close to John Lewis, with those behind the scheme hope to create a “dynamic” new community including new homes, workspaces, leisure and hospitality amenities.
The plan covers land from Vicar Lane in the west to Bridge Street in the east, and from Lady Lane in the south to the A64(M) in the north.
A new team has now been appointed to take the project forward, after Leeds-based property investor Khalbros and developer Torsion Group JV acquired the development in April last year.
The new team includes RIBA Stirling Prize-winning architects, FeildenCleggBradley Studios (FCB Studios), as lead architect and masterplanner, and Danish urban designers, SLA.
Alex Whitbread, Senior Partner at FCB Studios said: “Eastgate has been a forgotten part of the city centre for decades. In its place our ambition is to shape a new mixed-use neighbourhood rooted in Leeds’ character, where sustainability, density and quality of place work together.
“Our approach will bring new life to long empty buildings and create a dynamic new public realm where we currently have empty lots and car parking. This new quarter will reconnect with surrounding residential neighbourhoods and help bring forward Leeds’ ambitions for an expanding city centre.
“Eastgate Quarter has the potential to set a new benchmark for socially responsible urban development and leave a lasting legacy for Leeds.”
FCB Studios has a long-standing relationship with Leeds, having designed the mixed-use Broadcasting Place for Leeds Beckett University and developed the masterplan for business and community hub, Wellington Place.
The proposals for the Eastgate Quarter are currently going through a pre-application process with Leeds City Council. A public consultation is expected to take place in the first half of this year.
Speaking on the scheme, David Khalastchi, managing partner of Khalbros, said: “Eastgate Quarter is a defining moment for Leeds as the final major regeneration opportunity within the inner city centre. Through these appointments, we are introducing Eastgate Quarter as a project of international significance, imbued with Leeds’ unmistakable character.
“We, along with our investors, are proud to contribute to the long-term transformation of the city and shaping the future of Leeds.“
A further 15 specialists and advisors will support the core consultant team, with Yorkshire-based consultants appointed to the project including Urban Wilderness, Futuresecology, Prospect and Social.
Rasmus Astrup, design principal and senior partner at SLA, said: “We are thrilled to be working on such an important and transformative scheme for Leeds. Informed by Leeds’ unique heritage, our ambition is to help turn Eastgate into a true ‘Greengate’ – a neighbourhood where city nature, public life, and green infrastructure become the driving forces for regeneration.”
Dan Spencer, founder and CEO of Torsion Group, said: “This is a pivotal step in bringing the transformative vision for the Eastgate Quarter in Leeds to life.
"We are proud to have appointed such a strong and talented consultant team that brings together the best of Leeds-based and international expertise.”