Leeds office refurbishment receives green light

Plans to revamp a Leeds office building have been approved, despite criticism from some local councillors

Article posted: 18 Jan 2011

Councillors in Leeds have approved plans to refurbish an office building in Leeds formerly known as Prince William House.

Developer Ripley Capital will carry out the project in partnership with Formal Investments, while Think Architecture & Design is the appointed architect for the scheme.

Built in 1983, the building will be known as 21 Queen Street and offer 37,000 sq ft of Grade A space when it reopens in early 2012 for companies seeking office space in Leeds.

Ripley Capital received planning consent despite dividing opinion among members of Leeds City Council with its plans to revamp the structure, the Yorkshire Evening Post reports.

Councillor Elizabeth Nash said the addition of two storeys to the roof will cause the building to dominate the local area and make it look "like a spaceship has landed".

However, councillor Geoff Driver was more supportive in his appraisal of the developer's proposal.

"It has a sense of dynamism and is something Leeds needs to be doing," he commented.

Posted by Josh