Wellington Place has been transformed from a low-grade retail park in Leeds to the largest office development in central Leeds in the last 20 years, creating over 1m sq ft of office and leisure space, including bars, restaurants, shops and other amenities. Thirty-four prominent companies call Wellington Place home, including HMRC, NHS Digital, Ward Hadaway, Willis Towers Watson, Equifax and the MOJ.

Where is the project located?

Wellington Place, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS1 4DL

Who is on the project team? 

• Developers and Asset Managers: MEPC Ltd
• Fund Managers: Federated Hermes
• Building & Estate Managers: CBRE
• Funders: BTPS and CPPIB
• Construction: Wates Construction
• Architects: Carey Jones Chapman Tolcher, TP Bennett
• Landscape Designers: Planit-IE

• Consultants: Arup, Gardiner & Theobald

Describe the context of this project and its neighbourhood and people?

Wellington Place’s transformation from a low-grade retail park in Leeds to one of the UK’s most successful city centre regeneration project- Positioned in the heart of the city’s West End district and close to Leeds railway station, Wellington Place has been a major catalyst for the creation of new jobs and opportunities and a kick-starter for wider development and investment across the region.

Located close to some of the city’s most deprived suburbs, Wellington Place is playing a pivotal role in enhancing neighbouring communities through positive social impact, including outreach programmes for local and young people.

To date, the development has contributed a total economic value of £200m, created more than 300 construction jobs, and facilitated hundreds of apprenticeship placements. Sixty percent of jobs at Wellington Place are taken by Leeds residents, and once complete one in ten central Leeds jobs will be based here. It has supported and worked with many national and local charities, social enterprises and educational organisations, connecting with local people and raising awareness and resources for good causes.

Tell us what you did and how the project enlivened the place?  

Wellington Place brings together commerce and culture to create a community that goes far beyond bricks and mortar. To date Wellington Place has contributed an economic value of over £200m.

The development of outdoor spaces, leading the way in promoting environmentally conscious business principles and transport solutions such as free residents bicycle hire and campaigning for a local park and ride, alongside excellent customer care are key factors in the site thriving. Thirty-four prominent companies call Wellington Place home, including HMRC, NHS Digital, Ward Hadaway, Willis Towers Watson, Equifax and the MOJ, as well as providing flexible spaces which accommodate a number of SMEs. The site is a thriving commercial hub, it’s a centre for job creation, collaboration and supporting emerging skills required for the economy to prosper thanks to its superb commercial buildings and facilities. 

Features such as an iconic railway lifting tower have been preserved and made the centre piece of a new public square, alongside the evolution of an historic viaduct into a viewing platform and urban walkway, creating new public realm and paths. These have successfully encouraged urban regeneration beyond the scheme’s boundaries and re-connected the city centre with surrounding areas.

In 2022 a further £1.2m was invested into the public realm to help to support a better work-life balance for occupiers.

Did the project make a positive social and environmental contribution? 

Continued growth of Wellington Place has created the largest office development in central Leeds in the last 20 years, creating over 1m sq ft of office and leisure space, including bars, restaurants, shops and other amenities, bolstering investor confidence in the North. With a working population of over 13,000 people, once complete an impressive one in ten jobs in central Leeds will be based at Wellington Place. Key to success of the project has been a ‘people-first’ approach, designed around public spaces which highlight the heritage of the area and celebrate historic features on the site, alongside activities which encourage and foster a unique culture and community.

Year-round events programmes, including fitness classes and wellbeing workshops, city-wide community initiatives such as supporting Leeds Light Night, creating partnerships with charities and social enterprises, and engaging with local schools to host career and skills sessions, are all integral to engaging the community in a meaningful way, whilst promoting social mobility and wellbeing.

A long-term investment for MEPC and Federated Hermes since the mid-2000s, the project has seen the development of award-winning, nationally recognised high specification and energy efficient commercial office buildings and some of the largest public realm in the city centre.

The latest development, 11&12 Wellington Place, are among the most sustainable commercial office buildings in the UK, combining low-carbon design with state-of-the-art technology. BREEAM Outstanding and run entirely on renewable electricity, they will save a forecasted 407 tonnes of CO2 annually. Their sustainability credentials include a targeted EPC A rating and a Fitwel accreditation, a certification system that positively impacts health through buildings. The smart enabled buildings have become the first outside London and only the fourth in the UK to achieve a NABERS Design Reviewed Target Rating of Five Stars or above. Green transport solutions are actively promoted, including electric vehicle charging points, free bicycle hire and maintenance sessions, and discount tickets for public transport and a park and ride.