GMI Construction Group has started work on the last piece in the jigsaw of the prestigious Sovereign Square development in Leeds.

The high-profile project comprises a 12-storey high, 305 room hotel on the last remaining plot within the flagship development site.

GMI is principal construction contractor, having been appointed by the Marrico LLP and Helios development JV partnership.

Around 190 jobs will be created during the construction phase, with the 140,000 sq. ft hotel creating over 80 full-time jobs upon completion in 2024.

The hotel’s striking façade will be faced in two types of brick, a terracotta red and light beige, with detailing around the recessed double/triple height window bays.

The ground floor frontages will be behind a colonnade, with recessed detailing around the arch-heads and down the columns, with a glazed frontage behind.

Steve Ford, Construction Director at Marrico, said: “This project will deliver a first class hotel in a prime location and helps address a shortage of quality accommodation for business and leisure visitors to the city. This is the final remaining development site in Sovereign Square, adjacent to the railway station and at the heart of Leeds vibrant business, retail and leisure sectors.”

Funding Deal Agreed For £63M Hotel

A funding deal has been agreed to bring forward a £62.7m hotel on a prominent site adjacent to the railway station in Leeds city centre.

Marrico Asset Management and Helios Real Estate have signed a forward funding deal with UK Commercial Property REIT Ltd to build a 305-bed hotel to be operated by Interstate Group under the Hyatt brand.

The £62.7m hotel will be developed by the partnership on their Sovereign Square site in the city centre adjacent to the railway station.

Construction will begin immediately with our appointed contractor GMI Construction.

The 12-storey hotel is scheduled to complete in 2024, with a 25-year franchise agreement in place with Hyatt Hotels.

The 305 rooms will be split between the short stay Hyatt Place and the long stay Hyatt House brands. The premium hotel will provide meeting rooms, a gym and several food and beverage options, including a rooftop bar.

Richard Bland, of Marrico, said: “The acquisition is in line with UKCM’s strategy to take exposure to operational real estate sectors that are expected to deliver resilient rental incomes. The hotel will be operated under a lease by Interstate Hotels, a leading international hotel operator, with UKCM’s rental income based on the income generated from the operation of the hotel.”

US multifamily giant commits to £300m project

Work will start this summer on a £300m mixed-use scheme to transform the former International Swimming Pool site in Leeds.

Development partners Marrico Asset Management and Helios Real Estate have brought forward the scheme’s start date to July after striking a deal with a US private rental operator Cortland Group.

The entire Lisbon Street scheme consists of a cluster of four high-rise buildings and gained full planning last year.

The partners will now start work on the first phase of 600 build to rent flats in 33 and 22 storey towers.

Lisbon Street site will also eventually incorporate 550 student beds in a 24-storey block and a further two phases for hotels and offices.

Marrico and Helios said it would now focus on unlocking these next stages of development at the site.

Richard Bland, partner at Marrico Asset Management, said: “We are delighted to have signed this deal with Cortland for our flagship scheme in Leeds.

“This will be one of the city’s landmark buildings and we believe will set new standards in BTR accommodation in the city.”

Planning approved for Lisbon Street £300m development

Development partners Marrico Asset Management and Helios Real Estate have secured full planning consent by Leeds City Council on their 2.8-acre, £300m development proposal to transform the former International Swimming Pool site at Lisbon Street in Leeds city centre.

Plans for Lisbon Street include two Build to Rent buildings of 33 and 22 storeys which will deliver 629 apartments, a 24-storey student accommodation building with 548 bed spaces,  a 15-storey, 120 key aparthotel with 22,000 sq ft of co-working office space & 131,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation, along with further retail and leisure provisions. Construction is ear-marked to start in spring 2022.

The Build to Rent buildings will incorporate a connected ground floor space to provide amenities – such as a concierge reception, co-working spaces, lounges, entertainment spaces, wellbeing centre, extensive cycle storage and first floor external garden terrace. These ancillary areas, which are substantial and much larger than local authority guidelines, are designed to ensure community engagement – as well as support wellbeing.

Plans for the Lisbon Street development also includes improvements to the existing pedestrian and cycle way to the edge of the site. Over 55% of the site is to remain landscaped with engaging public realm installations with a significant landscaped public square being the focus point of the scheme.

Leeds established DLA Architecture – who have expert knowledge of Leeds’ architectural landscape – has designed the landmark development on behalf of Lisbon Street Developments – a joint venture partnership between Marrico Asset Management and Helios Real Estate. DLA Architecture has a long-standing professional relationship with Marrico having already advised on its other major Leeds schemes. 

DLA Architecture submitted proposals for Lisbon Street earlier this year, fulfilling a pre-requisite that the scheme incorporates strong public realm with strong linkages to neighbouring West End sites such as Wellington Place.

The full project delivery team includes DLA Architecture, Re-form Landscape Architecture, Quod, CSD, Curtins, RBA, Turley, Brooks Ecological, Stroma Building Control, Jensen Hughes, Hydrock, Apex Acoustics, Windtech and AA Projects.

Green Light for 13-Storey Leeds Hotel

Plans for a 14-storey hotel on a development site in Leeds city centre have been given the green light.

Marrico Asset Management submitted an application to Leeds City Council last year for development at Sovereign Square.

The proposal covers the construction of a new 14‐storey building for hotel accommodation comprising 331 short and extended‐stay hotel rooms.

An ancillary restaurant and bar will be provided at ground floor level, with landscaping and associated works also included in the plans.

The hotel is expected to create about 80 jobs when complete, largely within the hospitality sector, as well as about 170 monthly jobs during the construction period.

The project represents the final development plot in the Sovereign Street Planning Statement. Two office buildings have previously been constructed, occupied by KPMG and Addleshaw Goddard, as well as the Sovereign Square greenspace.

The council has now granted planning permission, subject to conditions, under delegated powers.

A planning officer’s report accompanying the decision said: “The proposal offers the opportunity to complete the successful regeneration of the award-winning Sovereign Square, complement the recent developments and public greenspace, and has the potential to be an addition worthy of its location, by successfully integrating into the square and delivering new pedestrian connections.”

The project team include DLA Design, re-form, RBA, CSD, Curtins, Quod, Stroma, MRB, DBX and RWDI.

GMI Construction Group was named as the contractor for the hotel last year.