Plans to demolish House of Fraser and build student flats submitted to Leeds City Council

House of Fraser, which occupies a huge plot at 14-42 in Briggate, would be demolished.

The site would then be redeveloped into a mixed-used residential and retail space.

It would be renamed 'Grand Central Place' and include nine-storeys of student accommodation.

Floors one to nine will provide 369 beds, comprising a mix of 131 self-contained studios and 47 cluster flats, across 178 units.

This student accommodation would be above the ground and basement floors of retail.

The retail floor is described by developers as "flexible retail space" which could be occupied by a single unit or split into two or three units.

The proposed scheme has been brought forward by Dukelease, under their development brand, Manner.

Members of the public were invited to have their say on the proposals in December 2021. The feedback form was available for two weeks.

Respondents to the online survey provided feedback on the design and layout of the building, the importance of retaining a renewed retail offer, as well as questions about the provision of student accommodation on the site.

The report shows that 134 people answered the survey.

A planning report states that the main feedback was that people welcomed the retention of the retail on site and said it would be a boost for the city centre.

However, concerns were raised about the location of student accommodation and anti-social behaviour related to the type of accommodation, concerns for student safety and impact on local businesses during construction.

Other feedback was that people would prefer or the development to host other types of private residential accommodation, the report adds.

Richard Lustigman, Managing Director at Manner, said: "Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to provide their feedback on our plans, we have been encouraged by the responses we’ve received and the level of engagement in the local community.

"We are grateful for the constructive feedback which has allowed us to continue to develop our plans and bring forward a scheme which has been designed to the highest of standards.

“We’re proud to be bringing forward a scheme which provides safe, modern, and comfortable accommodation for students in Leeds, and protects the retail legacy of this site on Briggate. The plans we have submitted will futureproof the site’s retail offer, securing an active and vibrant future for this development in the heart of the city.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the local community as our project progresses. Our ambition is to deliver a scheme which contributes to this great city’s economic recovery, provides a high-quality home for our young people during their university studies, and creates a development which the community can be proud of.”

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