Plans to deliver 230 high-quality, sustainable new homes alongside extensive communal facilities at Headrow House, 42 The Headrow, in Leeds city centre have been recommended for approval by Leeds City Council’s planning department.
Watkin Jones, the UK’s leading developer and manager of residential for rent, is proposing to introduce ‘co-living’ homes into Leeds for the first time. As well as private studio spaces with their own living, cooking and en-suite facilities, residents will have access to generous shared space to meet, relax and socialise, including extensive outdoor terracing and roof garden space. This is Watkin Jones’ third UK co-living development, having already completed schemes in Bristol and Exeter.
The recommendation for approval is set out in a planning officer report prepared for the city’s Plans Panel, which will meet to determine the application on Thursday November 7th. Leeds Civic Trust has also given the scheme its support, welcoming the environmental benefits of refurbishing the current building and the introduction of co-living into the city.
Martin Hamilton, director of Leeds Civic Trust, said: “Leeds Civic Trust supports re-use and adaptation as a means of bringing new life to buildings and the carbon savings that result. We support this proposal for Headrow House which for the first time brings co-living into the city centre.
“This type of dwelling is particularly suitable for graduates and could play a role in retaining key skills in Leeds providing quality accommodation with shared communal and outdoor spaces. From the earliest discussions we had with the developer Watkin Jones, we could see the benefits of this scheme and were able to give it our support.”
Offering flexible tenancies, the Headrow House co-living scheme aims to retain primarily graduates and young professionals in the city, providing much needed additional accommodation to the city’s rental market. Following extensive discussions between the applicant and Leeds planning officers, the co-living rooms will be amongst the largest in the UK, adding a new residential offer into Leeds city centre.
The high-quality design will repurpose the existing vacant building and retain its striking and historical façade, delivering significant carbon savings when compared to a demolition and rebuild. Watkin Jones have estimated that there will be a 78% carbon saving compared to a typical new build development – the equivalent carbon emissions of over 6,500 flights from Manchester to New York.
Headrow House will also include new carbon reduction technology that tackles the climate emergency, reduces tenants’ energy bills and achieves BREEAM Excellent status. Watkin Jones would also provide a significant financial contribution of £2.45 million towards affordable housing within the city.
Iain Smith, planning director at Watkin Jones, said: “We have been strongly encouraged by the support that we have received for our Headrow House co-living plans, including that of Leeds Civic Trust and local businesses. Co-living will address an important residential need in Leeds, helping to retain more graduates and young professionals in the city. And as a building refurbishment, we will also deliver huge carbon savings which is in line with our strong ESG credentials to minimise environmental impacts on all our schemes.
“As a direct result of feedback from members and planning officers, we have made a number of improvements to the scheme including increasing the room sizes and the internal and external communal space – and are grateful for the positive recommendation from planning officers for our application.”
