Plans for shelved 37-storey Leeds student accommodation skyscraper branded ‘pipe dream’
The plans for the new student accommodation block at the Merrion Centre have been shelved
Proposals to construct a 37-storey skyscraper for students in Leeds city centre have been officially shelved, the developer behind the project has confirmed.
The 400ft tower, known as 100MC, was earmarked to replace part of the Merrion Centre and provide accommodation for roughly 800 people.
First given planning approval in June of last year, the project has now been halted alongside proposals to convert the neighbouring Wade House office block.
Edward Ziff, chairman and chief executive of Town Centre Securities (TCS), confirmed the decision to The Yorkshire Post, describing the prospect of delivering the schemes in the near future as a "pipe dream".
The building was originally planned as an office block, with TCS later applying to change its use to residential.
Mr Ziff added that plans to convert the adjacent Wade House office block into student accommodation were also now in doubt.
He said: “The reality is, we set off to get planning consent for the tower block.
“Originally, it was an office building, which we then applied for change of use to residential, and in the time that it took us to do that and secure a planning consent from Leeds City Council, the markets changed dramatically.
“Building costs have changed even more dramatically, to the extent that the notion that either Wadehouse or 100MC will be built as residential in the short term is just a pipe dream.
Mr Ziff added that the 100MC tower scheme would only go ahead if TCS could find a third-party partner, something he also described as currently “very hard to find”.
Asked if the building may still be built for a different use, Mr Ziff said: “The building itself is designed and suited for student accommodation purposes. Yes, we can modify the application so that it would maybe be for private renting rather than student student, but I'm not sure it'll make enough difference to make it viable.”
Mr Ziff described the situation as “hugely frustrating and disappointing”.
As well as 1,039 student beds, plans for the 100MC and Wade House schemes also included student lounges, co-working spaces, a cinema, gym and karaoke room.
Members of Leeds City Council's City Plans panel had previously described the schemes as “remarkable”, when plans were approved earlier this year.
Posting its annual results, TCS said it was still “working towards a gateway to application” for planning on the Wade House building.
Mr Ziff added: “Securing the right planning consent, that has value, is something that we need to continue working out and will do, but I don't know right now whether that's going to be a residential scheme or an office scheme.”