Granary Wharf given the go ahead
>>> Posted 03/05/2006
Waterside regeneration company, Isis have been granted planning permission for three iconic buildings on the site of Granary Wharf overlooking the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.
The area contains two Grade II* and seven Grade II buildings. It will be redeveloped to include a hotel, leisure facilities, apartments, restaurants, a roof top lounge bar, and office accommodation. Planning consent has also been granted for high quality public realm landscaping and a new footbridge across the river linking the site to Neville Street.
Plans, drawn up by a design partnership of Carey Jones, CZWG and Allies &Morrison, focus on three main buildings set around a new public square that makes best use of the waterfront location.
Building A ranges from four storeys at the southern end to 14 storeys at the northern side adjacent to the railway viaduct. This striking building will rise in steps to allow for greater views through the urban village. The ground floor of this building will be commercial use with 113 apartments in the floors above.
Building B was redesigned both in structure and use as a result of public consultation. It will now be developed to include a 320 bedroom hotel with a smaller overall footprint than the original scheme to open up further views across Holbeck and allow greater access to the waterfront. This building will be 14 storeys and will include a ground floor canal-side restaurant and bar, a roof top lounge bar and terrace.
Finally, Building C, which has also been redesigned as a result of consultation, will take the form of a circular tower accommodating the 160 residential apartments. Again the overall footprint of this building is reduced from the original application allowing greater access to the waterfront and opening up key views across the urban village. The building is expected to be 22 storeys in height with commercial uses restricted to the bottom two floors.
Isis Director, Alistair Dickens, said, “We are delighted that the scheme has been granted planning approval. We have worked extremely hard with Leeds City Council and public consultation to ensure that this scheme is the best possible use of the Granary Wharf space. We hope to create something truly unique to the Leeds waterfront and bring life back to the once bustling Leeds Liverpool Canal.”
Work is due to start on site later this year, with the hotel expected to open by Christmas 2007 and the full scheme to be completed end 2008.
