New student tower block set to become feature on city skyline

Property group Downing has received planning permission for a 21-storey development, which is next to its Central Village scheme in Leeds city centre.

Altogether, Downing’s developments in Leeds will supply almost 1,000 bedrooms of student accommodation.

The higher education sector is undergoing revolutionary changes. From September, universities in England are raising tuition fees to up to £9,000 a year.

At the same time, many universities are facing budget cuts.

George Tyson, a senior project manager at Liverpool-based Downing, said there was still demand for student accommodation in the right location.

“There has been a flight to quality that will stand us in good stead,” he said.

Mr Tyson said the growing numbers of international students was also driving demand in the market.

However, Mr Tyson said times were hard in the general commercial property market.

He added: “It’s extremely tough, with little demand, and the difficulties obtaining funding are well known.”

Work will start on site at Central Village in early 2013, and the scheme is expected to be completed in 2014.

The £25m development will see Downing deliver 404 ‘cluster’ bedrooms to serve the city’s student market.

The tower will feature glazing at ground level, while light grey terracotta will be used on the upper levels.

The building forms phase two of Central Village – the £40m first phase of the mixed-use development is due for completion in September 2012.

Downing recently agreed a six-year lease with the University of Leeds for the 577-bedroom student accommodation element of the first phase of Central Village, which means it is at full occupancy six months ahead of opening.

The Liverpool-based property group has also secured a deal to bring Tesco to Central Village. Tesco has signed a lease on a 4,500 sq ft retail unit and will open a Tesco Express store in the autumn.

The site is located opposite Downing’s Broadcasting Place student scheme, which is fully let.

In 2010, the 23-storey Broadcasting Place was named Best Tall Building in the World by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

It beat off competition from the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

Broadcasting Place takes its name from the site’s historic links with the BBC, which had its regional headquarters in Woodhouse Lane.

The BBC moved to a new HQ in St Peter’s Square, Quarry Hill, Leeds, in late 2004.

Downing completed the £37.65m sale of Broadcasting Place in 2010, a year after the building was completed.

Aviva acquired the 111,000 sq ft commercial scheme, which is entirely let to Leeds Metropolitan University on a 22-year lease.

Downing retained ownership and management of the student accommodation element of the scheme following the sale.

Downing is involved in a number of high profile student schemes across Britain, which suggests there is still money to be made in the sector despite the squeeze on higher education bud- gets.

Apart from Broadcasting Place, Downing is also behind the Parkway Gate development in Manchester and a number of smaller schemes in Liverpool.

A spokesman added: “They’re developing phase three of an £85m scheme in Newcastle, which includes student accommodation and premises for Newcastle University Business School, and they have recently received planning approval for a £65m scheme in Cambridge and £25m scheme in London.”

Downing, in conjunction with architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, is planning a 32-storey mixed-use development including student accommodation, a swimming pool and a leisure centre on South Lambeth Road in London.

The company is also the driving force behind the Islington Regeneration Company (IRC) – a partnership of developers who want to revive the commercial district which used to be the centre of Liverpool’s rag trade.