Plans Afoot for New Leeds Student Accommodation

A derelict building on Cookridge Street in Leeds city centre, former home of the Walkabout bar, could be demolished and replaced with an 8-storey building that would house 96 self-contained student apartments. Plans for the £10m project have been submitted to the council.

Leeds-based investment and lettings company YPP are on board as the developer, and Brewster Bye Architects are the designers.

The ground floor plans offer two retail units and a range of communal facilities, including a gym, a lounge, and a study area.

The well-known Australian-themed bar closed down in 2013, and has remained empty ever since. The new development promises to “enhance the existing streetscape and complement the sensitive conservation area.”

Chris Austin, managing director at Brewster Bye Architects, said: “The modern building is specifically designed to respond to the tight urban nature of the site, between the stunning façade of the O2 Academy and a new hotel development. It will be built using stone to match adjacent buildings and feature two stepped storeys on top, constructed mainly of glass, which will make it a prominent landmark in this fast evolving part of the city.”

Being on the doorstep of both universities, the new purpose built student property would no doubt be highly sought after.

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