The Merrion Centre’s New Front leisure development in Leeds city centre was given the go-ahead last week (24 November 2011) by Leeds City Council. The multi-million pound scheme, adjacent to the Leeds Arena development, could create up to 200 new jobs.
 
Property investment and development company , Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), who developed, own and manage the Merrion Centre will redevelop 80, 000 sq ft  of retail space into a leisure destination with bars, cafes, restaurants and a gym along Merrion Way and Wade Lane.

Located next to the new 13, 500 capacity arena, the scheme will consist of seven new units ranging from 30,000 sq ft  to 420 sq ft , the largest  of which is already let to existing tenant 1st Bowl.
 
The plans also include public realm works that will allow for an outdoor area designed for continental-style street café seating.  The development proposals also include the 1,000 space multi-storey car park, which will undergo a complete refurbishment and up-grade, creating convenient state-of-the-art parking for shoppers, visitors and Arena users.
 
Helen Beckett, Associate Director at Town Centre Securities said: “It’s great to get the green light on this important regeneration scheme that could create up to 200 new jobs. New Front is in a fantastic location in a busy part of Leeds city centre, which is already popular with shoppers, students and office workers.  Together with the arena development, we are going to transform this part of the city, injecting new vibrancy and vitality into the area.   With planning consent in place, we can now realise our ambition and bring forward this new high quality leisure destination, with improved public realm and up-graded car parking .”
 
Cllr Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council executive board member responsible for city development, said: “We welcome this news that the Merrion Centre New Front leisure scheme is going ahead.  It is an exciting scheme which will create jobs and enhance the centre’s retail and leisure attractions and ensure it can fully benefit from the business opportunities offered by the Leeds Arena.  This scheme is clear evidence of the positive and catalytic effect of the arena development on regeneration in the city centre and the wider region.”
 
Work on the New Front scheme will start early in 2012 and will be complete in advance of the Leeds Arena opening in 2013.
 
BDP’s Manchester Studio has been appointed as the architects on the development and Savills (0113 2440100) and Brassington Rowan (0113 2422622) are the agents acting for TCS on this scheme.