A derelict former school in the heart of Leeds City Centre is getting a £37 million makeover, delivering the city’s first £1m apartments as investment in the UK’s fastest growing city continues.
The eight-storey building on Great George Street, close to Leeds General Infirmary, will be home to 83 new luxury apartments, four of which are priced at £1m in a first for Yorkshire’s largest city.
Investment in Leeds has risen in recent years, with Channel 4 opening new offices and the National Infrastructure Commission planning to open its first offices outside of London in the city. They join ASDA, BT, First Direct and Sky, who already have bases in a city listed as one of the UK’s greenest cities as well as ranking in The Times’ best places to live in 2022. Now, the development on Great George Street represents a new era of luxury urban living for Leeds.
Leeds-based developer, Priestley Homes has started work on the Grade-II listed building with completion expected Q4 2023. The site was acquired back in March 2021 with plans approved in October.
While Leeds suburbs such as Horsforth and Roundhay boast some impressive, multi-million-pound properties, the city centre itself has been lacking high-end homes, especially compared to neighbouring city Manchester.
The renovation will maintain the building’s original features, combining them with designer fixtures and fittings. The building will also benefit from underfloor heating and the latest smart home technologies, a hallmark of Priestly Homes builds.
Eight of the apartments will have private outdoor space, a true luxury for city centre living that reflects buyer demands. In addition, all residents will have access to a communal roof-top garden that will be housed in a new-build, three-storey glazed extension.
Priestley Homes has previous experience transforming Grade-II listed buildings, creating 153 modern apartments at Bradford’s Conditioning House, the penthouse of which became the most expensive flat in Bradford when it was sold.
Nathan Priestley, chief executive officer of the Priestley Group, said: “As a Leeds-based business, we’re passionate about investing in the city and creating breath-taking homes that can rival those even in London. Leeds is a Northern powerhouse and the UK’s fastest-growing city – with so much investment coming in, it’s time the city centre living represents that.
We’re experts in the regeneration of heritage buildings, so to be able to transform one of the grandest buildings in Leeds and breathe new life into it is a real honour.”
Great George Street is situated in a prime spot in the city centre, close to the main shopping district and the restaurants and bars the city has to offer. The development is ideally placed for commuters, only a ten-minute walk to Leeds station, offering direct services to Manchester, Liverpool, and London.
