Go-ahead for £30m office development close to railway station

The 10-storey Whitehall Plaza scheme on Whitehall Road, which includes a 130-bed hotel with restaurant as well as 50,000 sq ft of offices with basement parking, was given the go-ahead by Leeds City Council.

It will be built on a vacant 0.6 acre site in front of the No 1 Whitehall Riverside office building, which is home to companies including accountants Grant Thornton, Bank of New York and law firm Cobbets among others.

Gregory Projects, part of Leeds-based Gregory Group, and Marshalls, based in Elland, are behind the development.

Premier Inn, which wants to expand to the south of the city and close to the station, has agreed to lease the hotel, which it hopes will attract both business and leisure demand.

The office building is designed to achieve a BREAAM Very Good rating with the overall building providing at least 10 per cent of its overall energy consumption from on-site renewable sources. Richard Tovey, development director at Gregory Projects, said: “This area continues to be the heartland for grade A office accommodation in the city with the distinct advantage of being close to the busy main line rail station.

“We intend to pre-let the offices which will allow potential occupiers the chance to influence the overall design and layout of their space.”

Richard Dunn, partner at leasing agent Sanderson Weatherall, added: “There is a shortage of prime office space in the central core and even ahead of planning approval occupier interest has been encouraging.

“We are in discussions with a number of potential occupiers and believe the space will be of particular interest to the financial and professional services sector.

“We can offer flexible, quality office accommodation with strong green credentials in suites from 12,000 sq ft.”

Joint letting agents are Sanderson Weatherall and DTZ.

WSB are representing Premier Inn.