Retail developer Hammerson has been granted planning permission for the £130 million 37,000m² Victoria Gate shopping centre in Leeds, with construction to start in Spring next year.
This is the first phase of a major development, which will create 2,700 construction jobs as well as over 1,500 retail and hospitality jobs when it opens in Autumn 2016. Hammerson also expects to receive planning approval for its £1,000 million retail led redevelopment of Croydon town centre - where it is in joint venture with Westfield - within the next couple of months.
The new Leeds building will be adjacent to the existing Victoria Quarter. As well as housing more than 30 retailers, the development will anchor a 24,000m² flagship John Lewis shop which has a striking façade inspired by the city’s textile heritage. The John Lewis store will link up to the existing Victoria Quarter in a two-street arcade, with a multi-storey car park for more than 800 cars.
Hammerson Project Director for Victoria Gate, Joe Swindells, said: “We are committed to creating a retail development that will not only reaffirm Leeds’ status as a top retail destination for luxury and aspirational brands in the UK, but will also add value to Leeds’ local economy and community.”
Leeds City Council said the scheme will help regenerate that area of the city centre and will complement the well-established Victoria Quarter and the new Trinity Leeds to further enhance the city’s retail offer.
The Leeds and Croydon projects are part of Hammerson’s core strategic development pipeline, the others being a major redevelopment at Brent Cross where a planning submission will be made by the end of the year. Other retail developments under way include extensions to retail park stores for retailers such as Debenhams, B&Q and Marks & Spencer.
