New £52m office development will bring 1,500 people to work at Thorpe Park Leeds

A new office development is providing a major economic boost for Yorkshire.
Front left to right: Richard Ashmore of RA Real Estate, Lisa Wragg, Head of Office Services at Lowell
Back left to right: Richard Burns, Project Manager at SGI, Lee Powell, Divisional Managing Director at GMI, Adam Varley, Head of Commercial at SGI.Front left to right: Richard Ashmore of RA Real Estate, Lisa Wragg, Head of Office Services at Lowell
Back left to right: Richard Burns, Project Manager at SGI, Lee Powell, Divisional Managing Director at GMI, Adam Varley, Head of Commercial at SGI.
Front left to right: Richard Ashmore of RA Real Estate, Lisa Wragg, Head of Office Services at Lowell Back left to right: Richard Burns, Project Manager at SGI, Lee Powell, Divisional Managing Director at GMI, Adam Varley, Head of Commercial at SGI.

The erection of steelwork has begun at an office complex in Thorpe Park Leeds. The £52 million, 133,118 sq ft building, has been pre-let to credit management company, Lowell.

Scarborough Group International (SGI) expects to complete the headquarters by September 2022, bringing around 1,500 people to work at Thorpe Park Leeds.

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The park is already home to more than 100 businesses employing around 5,500 people.

GMI Construction is the main contractor for the building which extends over seven floors with two levels of underground podium parking.

The pre-let to Lowell represents the largest single out of town office deal ever recorded in West Yorkshire.

Adam Varley, Head of Commercial at SGI, said: “We are delighted to see the progress with the new building as GMI continues to deliver on schedule despite the various challenges the pandemic has created, which recently includes sourcing materials.

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"With considerable groundworks now completed we can now look forward to seeing the structure materialise at a rapid pace creating a new landmark as you approach Thorpe Park Leeds from the M1. We are working in close collaboration with Lowell to make sure we deliver a culturally fitting and inspiring new workplace that is also adaptable for the business’s future needs.

“Alongside the office building we are about to embark on an associated multi storey car park to support the new phases of offices development at Thorpe Park Leeds. This incorporates electric car charging and bicycle storage provisions to encourage more sustainable travel.”

Lee Powell, Divisional Managing Director of GMI said: “We are delighted to have reached this major milestone. Thanks to great collaboration and the efforts of the team and our supply chain partners, we have reached this milestone on schedule and the project is on track for its completion date.”

Further development plans include the delivery of a 113-acre public park with sports and wellbeing facilities.

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A spokesman said: " The phase two development at Thorpe Park Leeds was enabled following a unique investment deal with Legal & General Capital in 2015.

"Since then, a transformational 1.35 million sq ft mixed-use expansion has progressed bringing new business opportunities to the Leeds City Region. It has also enabled the delivery of the first section of the ‘East Leeds Orbital Route’ (ELOR), a key piece of transport infrastructure connecting north and east Leeds to Junction 46 of the M1. This road also unlocks land for the future construction of over 7,000 new homes on the East Leeds area."

"The development has been chosen for the new railway station - East Leeds Parkway- and park and ride, connecting directly to Leeds city centre in less than eight minutes.

"This forms part of a £270 million infrastructure investment into Leeds by the Department of Transport."