Design for new tallest building in Leeds splits opinion with one councillor criticising its 'tired 1970s' look

Developers are looking to build two office blocks and a residential tower with more than 400 flats off Lisbon Street in the city centre, next to the A58 and close to the city’s old international pool site.

Stretching to 40 storeys and 125 metres in height, the block of flats would be hexagonal in shape and stand taller than anything else on the Leeds skyline when complete, applicants McClaren Property say.

No planning application for the development has been submitted yet, but the early designs for the scheme divided the views of local councillors, who saw them for the first time at a meeting this week.

Coun Peter Carlill suggested the tower had a “dated look”, saying: “It’s probably more exciting than the things we built in the 1970s, in terms of the hexagonal approach. But it also reminds me of those 1970s buildings that are looking a bit tired now. I think some of that’s down to the colour we see on the CGIs.

“It’s got that kind of off-white style that could be a concrete building if you looked at it. Is there anything that could be done to improve the appearance as you look at it from a distance if you’re coming into Leeds? These are important buildings on a main route into the city.”

Fellow councillor Caroline Gruen also suggested the building “did not look modern enough” and that it had the appearance of “corrugated iron”.

In response, Dav Bansal, from Glenn Howells Architects, said those behind the scheme had wanted to keep the design “simple”.

He said: “It’s quite hard to show this on the images but it will have an interesting reflectivity to it as the sun moves round the sky.

“We did test a variety of colours. It could have been red terracotta, but we thought that would get lost and diluted among the office buildings and other buildings around it.”

Mr Bansal also responded to criticism about the flats being designed without balconies, saying that because Leeds is “windier than most cities, with tall buildings with balconies become a real danger.”

“They end up becoming winter gardens,” he added.

A sky lounge, at the very top of the building, would be created for residents to relax, however.

The council’s design officer, Steve Varley, backed the overall appearance of the building, though he said both the colour and “corrugated iron effect” could be negotiated.

He said: “I think it’ll do well for the city. It’s clean, sharp modernism. There’s no messing about with it.”

Councillors indicated strong support for the proposed height of the buildings and the concept of development in the area generally.

The scheme is the latest in a string of developments coming forward on the western edge of the city centre, which include works on the old Yorkshire Evening Post site and the site of the city’s old international pool.

If approved at a later date, the McClaren Property development would see a handful of smaller buildings currently on the site demolished.

However, Coun Colin Campbell said the amount of proposed communal green space within the scheme was too small, for both families and office workers.

He said: “If it was a nice, hot, sunny July day, where would you go? That’s my big concern.”

Having taken feedback on board, developers are expected to return in the coming months with more detailed plans that will be either approved or rejected.