Plans for the new building, to be based in the cultural quarter of Leeds city centre received planning permission yesterday.

It will be home to the Northern Ballet Theatre (NBT) and the Phoenix Dance Theatre and it is hoped it will make Leeds the dance capital of the North.

It will be built on Quarry Hill near West Yorkshire Playhouse, Yorkshire Dance, the BBC and Leeds College of Music.

The designs by the Strategic Design Alliance, a partnership of Jacobs Architecture and Leeds Council's in-house architectural consultancy, were approved at a council planning meeting yesterday.

The plans are for a six-storey building which will include seven dance studios and a 200-seat studio theatre.

The building, due for completion in summer 2010, will also house a full-time classical dance school as well as Leeds Metropolitan University's dance degree courses.

In February Prince Edward, Royal Patron of NBT, visited Leeds to help launch Momentum, the campaign to raise the remaining £1.5m needed to complete the £12m building.

So far more than £800,000 has been raised from trusts, foundations and individuals.

Mark Skipper, NBT chief executive who is spearheading Momentum, said: "The planning decision means that we have reached a key milestone in this project's progress."

The new building has received wide support from across the region with Leeds council investing £6.7m, including a contribution from Yorkshire Forward, and Arts Council England Yorkshire investing £3.5m through the National Lottery.

To give your support to the Momentum campaign visit the website www.
momentum.co.uk or email melanie.aram@northernballettheatre.co.uk