Work is set to begin next month on Number 10 Wellington Place, a 35,000 sq ft, five storey new office development which is thought to be the first new build grade A office development in Leeds city centre for more than five years.
Construction is due to commence after award-winning commercial law firm, Shulmans, confirmed it would take 15,000 sq ft across two floors of the development in Leeds’ West End.
Work is expected to begin in April 2013 and is expected to last 12 months.
Once complete the BREEAM Excellent-rated building will benefit from major social amenities including ground floor retail space facing a bustling new public square.
Shulmans will then be the first to move into the new office development, relocating from its current base at 120 Wellington Street.
Tim Halstead, Managing Partner of Shulmans, said: “We are delighted to be the first occupants of what will undoubtedly prove to be a landmark development in the city. Our move to 10 Wellington Place represents a significant investment for Shulmans and is reflective of our successful growth plans. Five years ago we put into place a highly specific programme of growing the business by 50 per cent in five years and we are bang on target; this relocation is another step forward in that programme.”
MEPC Chief Executive, Rick de Blaby, added: “Shulmans joins a great line-up of existing companies at Wellington Place, including BSkyB, Allianz, Towers Watson and PwC.
“There is something big going on in Leeds right now with the opening of Trinity, the completion of the new arena this autumn, and the Tour de France next year.
“With today’s news, MEPC is adding to this growing momentum within Leeds by providing great companies like Shulmans with an exemplary new workplace in the West End’s new urban quarter.
“We believe 10 Wellington Place will be the first new build grade A office development to be completed in Leeds city centre for five years, since The Mint in Holbeck was completed in 2009 and while building 10 Wellington Place will bring great satisfaction to us, it is only the start of our next phase of development at Wellington Place.”
Planning permission was granted for the building in September 2010 as part of a major mixed use development on the largest site under single ownership in Leeds.
That permission includes a further 106,000 sq ft of office space at number 3 Wellington Place, 155,000 sq ft at 4 Wellington Place and a further 59,000 sq ft at 5 Wellington Place.
By breaking ground on 10 Wellington Place, MEPC will be leading the next phase of regeneration in the West End of Leeds, which is aimed at creating a five star destination in the heart of the city centre.
Further additions to the city such as Leeds Arena and Trinity Leeds will only serve to accelerate that development, Mr de Blaby added.
He said: “We see the start of work on 10 Wellington Place as very much the first step towards developing the rest of the Wellington Place estate.
“We are already in talks with several potential occupiers for some of the other developments and look forward to being able to continue to build our business community.”
The agent that acted on behalf of MEPC in this transaction was Jeff Pearey at Jones Lang LaSalle. DTZ is also a joint letting agent.
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