Lloyds Banking Group to move thousands of staff to new eco-friendly offices in Leeds

Lloyds has 4,200 staff based in Leeds and will be taking five and a half floors of space at the new site in the expanding business district.

The new offices use an all-electric reversible air source heat pump system and air-cooled chillers to eliminate fossil fuel use and reduce operational carbon emissions. It also has triple glazed windows to minimise heat loss and partially generates its own electricity with 7,500 square feet of solar panels.

Staff will be able to access EV charging points, free bike hire, secure cycle storage and cycle buddying scheme.

The new offices are designed to achieve the maximum NABERS rating of 5* in addition to BREEAM ‘Outstanding’, the only building in Yorkshire with these combined accreditations.

The move is part of the bank’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and reach net zero operations by 2030.

Sharon Doherty, Chief People and Places Officer for Lloyds, said: “It’s a key part of our strategy to have the right spaces in the right places and we want everyone to love being in our offices.

"This means having the right facilities, tech and spaces as well as meeting our sustainability commitments, which are a critical part of our purpose of Helping Britain Prosper.

“Leeds continues to be an important hub for Lloyds Banking Group and our new offices will help us to work brilliantly together and attract new diverse talent into our organisation.”

Paul Pavia, Head of Development at MEPC, said: “As one of the UK’s largest financial services organisations, we are thrilled that Lloyds Banking Group has chosen Wellington Place as its new Leeds home. This is a landmark deal for the Yorkshire market and at more than 120,000 sq ft is the largest office letting in the region in recent years.

“The 11 & 12 Wellington Place development has set a new standard for sustainable development in Yorkshire and beyond. Lloyds is committed to environmental sustainability and its decision to move to 11 & 12 Wellington Place is evidence of this. Lloyds was also attracted to our extensive amenity offer and our programme of social value and community activities. We are very much looking forward to welcoming Lloyds and its people to the neighbourhood later this year.”

Once home to Leeds Central Station, since the mid-2000s work has been taking place in Wellington Place on developing a series of modern office buildings on the 21-acre site. The financial crisis curtailed development for several years but in recent years an increasing number of buildings have been completed.

Developer and asset manager MEPC announced completion of construction on 11 and 12 Wellington Place earlier this month. Consultancy Arup has already committed to take 36,000 sq ft at the site.