Just days after a promised transport upgrade between Leeds city centre and its regenerated docks, a local commercial agent has been appointed to manage one of its pioneering developments.
Investment firm Allied London was last month granted permission for its new super-building workspace concept, The Engine. It has now instructed WSB to fill the 60,000 sq ft high-tech hub with creative, media and technology firms.
South-east of the city centre, the former Clarence Dock failed to take off in 2008 as a council-backed leisure and retail venue. It was acquired four years later by Allied London and rebranded as “Leeds Dock” offering a mix of “work and play” spaces.
There is already more than 160,000 sq ft of commercial and studio space available as part of the waterside scheme. The Engine will offer a “super-flexible” option for start-up and expanding enterprises with some of the largest floor plates in the Yorkshire city.
“The Leeds office market is showing continued signs of improvement following an unprecedented level of take up last year,” explained WSB partner, Duncan Senior.
“With a diminishing supply of office space, Leeds Dock brings something entirely new to the city — a new urban campus and concept which will pioneer workplace design allowing occupiers to configure their own working environment with the creative use of the dockside with informal working and meeting spaces.”
Senior said The Engine was primarily aimed at emerging industries. “Whether it’s for a start-up looking for its first home or a bigger brand seeking a new headquarters — we have the flexible answer to suit their needs,” he added.
Tim Gee is Allied London’s Leeds-based asset manager. “We are being inundated with demand for our workspace building model in Manchester and Farringdon in London, and our market research tells us there will be similar significant demand for this product in Leeds,” he explained.
“We already have great interest, and I believe WSB will help us promote this offer … Of all our potential partners, the team at WSB clearly grasped the exciting potential of the unique and special offer we have here at Leeds Dock.”
Before submitting its planning application for The Engine, Allied London chief executive, Michael Ingall, admitted: “We toured every building and every site in Leeds and a property like this simply does not exist, nor does an environment where people can buy into a real amenity-led community.
“For so many organisations today, it’s about creating the right culture and the real estate solution must be capable of supporting that.
“Britain’s office market is still recovering,” Ingall added. “But the buildings that are being developed or are lying vacant are ‘one size fits all’ mainstream regional offices. Our view is that the work place has changed and will continue to evolve well beyond what is here today.”
Allied London has also already launched a water taxi service to the docks. The city council is matching this with improvements to bus services to ensure the area is well-connected with central Leeds and its main railway station.
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