17 storey plans for Leeds submitted

Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS) has submitted a planning application for a 17-storey office and retail development in Leeds’ Merrion Centre.

The proposed new building will sit above the Home Bargains store with plans including the creation of a new central welcome hub, co-working offices and brand-new head office building for StepChange Debt Charity.

The building, currently known as 100MC, will offer over 10,000 sq ft of ground floor retail space for a refurbished Home Bargains store and 168,810 sq ft of commercial office space over 16 levels. TCS say they expect over 2000 people to work in the building once it’s completed.

A 6.5-acre site would be demolished which includes a derelict cinema that has not been used since the 1970s.

TCS has invested more than £70m in the last five years to improve the Merrion Centre, including the development of Merrion House, an ibis Styles Hotel with adjoining Arnold’s Restaurant & Bar and refurbished 1100 space CitiPark car park.

Leeds City Council partnered with TCS for the redevelopment of their new offices in Merrion House, and now have a 50% stake in the building. NewStart interviewed Leeds City Council head of city development Martin Farringdon in August to discuss the move.

Edward Ziff, Chairman and Chief Executive of TCS, said: ‘We have identified considerable latent opportunity within our Merrion estate which we believe provides a platform for future growth and we are therefore delighted to submit this important planning application, launching our second 10-year strategy for the Merrion Centre.

‘We firmly believe we are on the right track with Merrion and will continue to invest in and develop the asset, broadening our offer and delivering more for Leeds from this important mixed-use city centre destination.

‘We are also keen to communicate our unique history, achievements and transformation of the ultimate sustainable Centre, nationally and internationally and we are excited by this next phase.’