Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has sold the iconic, Grade II listed, Oxford Place former Methodist Mission in Leeds city centre’s Civic Quarter. With a history dating back to the early 1800s, the former chapel extends to over 33,000 sq ft and provides an opportunity for expansion and development. It is located on Westgate, immediately adjacent to the Grade I Listed Leeds Town Hall. Planning consent had been granted for two different boutique hotel schemes, but the purchaser is likely to pursue a residential scheme. The property has been acquired by Samara Properties Ltd, a Leeds-based investor and developer with several completed schemes around The Headrow and Westgate/Park Square areas of Leeds city centre. Richard Corby, Senior Director & Head of Leeds Office at Lambert Smith Hampton, said: “We are excited to have disposed of this outstanding opportunity to acquire a striking, large and historic city centre asset with significant redevelopment potential. The regeneration of Oxford Place will provide a scheme of huge benefit to both Leeds city centre and the public realm.” Harry Albazie, Director at Samara Properties, said: “We are thrilled to embark on the redevelopment journey of Oxford Place, an iconic Grade II listed building in the heart of Leeds. The potential for residential development aligns with our commitment to thoughtful urban renewal contributing to the city’s vibrant landscape.” LSH acted on behalf of the Managing Trustees of the Methodist Church. Revd Kerry Tankard, Chair of the Yorkshire West Methodist District, said: “Oxford Place served Methodism in Leeds City Centre for over 185 years. It provided a space for worship, social engagement and enterprise, advice, and counselling. “However, the changing needs of the city, and the work of Methodism, mean that it is the right time to let go of this building and instead invest the resources in our work through Leeds Sanctuary, the new shape of the Methodist Church in Leeds City Centre. “Through Leeds Sanctuary we create spaces of hospitality, wellbeing, activism and craftivism, and enable people to think differently about their faith. Oxford Place was an important part of who we were, and it will help us as we move forward in the great city of Leeds.”

Casa by Moda has acquired 100 Doncaster homes which will now be available for rent as part of a wider mixed-residential masterplan with Albemarle Homes. Casa at Westmoor Grange will have homes ranging from two to four-bedrooms. This family rental housing model differs to the traditional private landlord model, providing residents with long-term security and a range of lifestyle and wellbeing benefits. The homes also include highly responsive home technology – including Utopi’s smart home sensors, which allow residents to control and monitor their living environment from room temperature, to air quality, to light pollution. The homes also benefit from additional sustainable elements, with solar PV panels and EV charging points available. Casa at Westmoor Grange is located on the outskirts of Armthorpe. Sarah Nelson, Director of Operations at Casa by Moda, said: “Casa at Westmoor Grange is our second neighbourhood in Yorkshire and will deliver the same high standard of renting as our previous neighbourhood at Casa, Abbey Court in Leeds – not only in terms of quality, but also being able to offer residents leases of up to three years, something unheard of in the traditional rental market. “During the current period of economic uncertainty, we believe it’s important to be able to provide our residents a security of tenancy that can only come from our long-term approach. “With demand for rental accommodation remaining high, our approach as a long-term owner and operator is to create not only high quality, sustainable homes, but new communities that go beyond bricks and mortar by actively supporting the wellbeing of our residents. “As they join the existing Westmoor Grange community, we look forward to welcoming the very first Casa residents to the neighbourhood in the Summer.” Darryl Barker, Managing Director at Albemarle Homes, said: “Our ethos, and the reason Albemarle Homes was established, is to provide quality built properties that become a home from the very start. “Our Albemarle Standard is what sets us apart and we’re pleased that Casa by Moda has identified this and made the decision to incorporate a number of our Westmoor Grange homes into its unique private rented portfolio. “We feel it is important that consumers are given a range of options to meet their own individual circumstances and support this alternative choice.”

Another new letting has been announced for Heart of the City – the flagship city centre development scheme led by Sheffield City Council and their Strategic Development Partner, Queensberry. Independent fashion retailer, The Cream Store, is set to open a 3,000 sq ft flagship shop on the ground floor of Burgess House – positioned on the corner of Charles Street and Cross Burgess Street, fronting the evolving Five Ways junction. With fit-out aiming to be complete this Spring, the store, which also boasts a raised mezzanine, will stock contemporary clothing and lifestyle accessories for both men and women. Premium brands – which are regularly refreshed and rotated – include the popular Carhartt WIP, Fred Perry, Edwin, Nudie Jeans Co, Gramicci, and many more. It will be The Cream Store’s second dedicated shop in the UK following the long-term success of the company’s Nuneaton store, which opened in 2005. Like Nuneaton, the store will also house its acclaimed ‘Sneaker Treat’ service, offering customers a range of sustainable cleaning and restoration solutions to bring their favourite trainers back to life. Manish Patel, Director of The Cream Store, said: “We have chosen Sheffield for our next venture as it’s a fantastic city with a vibrant and diverse culture. We feel that there is a great opportunity to provide the local community with a ‘go to’ place to shop for quality, durable fashion. “Customer service is at the heart of everything we do. We welcome and enjoy talking to our customers, sharing our advice and our passion. The store will offer a relaxed, ambient atmosphere for our customers to dwell and view our latest collections. “It’s all about offering a great accessible experience. Our customer-first approach has allowed us to maintain a loyal customer base over the last two decades and we’re exciting to build something similar in Sheffield. “We can’t wait to open our doors in the Spring.” Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We are thrilled to welcome The Cream Store to Heart of the City. It’s another significant addition to the scheme’s growing fashion offer and builds on the likes of Weekday, Monki, and the recently signed Fjällräven and Yards Store. “This is going to be a huge year for Heart of the City and the wider city centre, with the Cambridge Street Collective food hall, Leah’s Yard and Bethel Chapel all set to open in the coming months.” Alex Hyams, Senior Asset & Leasing Manager at Queensberry, added: “The Cream Store is a contemporary independent menswear retailer, which epitomises the best of modern-day retail, housing premium brands in a clean and smart environment. This letting complements the emerging retailer line-up very well and continues to elevate the quality of the shopping experience in Sheffield city centre.”

Oakgate Group has secured planning permission to regenerate the former Tramways Working Men’s Club in York into 35 new homes, with linked improvements to the adjacent park where Dick Turpin’s grave is located. City of York Council granted planning approval for the club site on Mill Street in York which closed in 2018, when it became commercially unviable and was sold by its members to Oakgate Group, part of the Caddick group of companies. A thorough consultation was undertaken and various changes were made to the designs, in collaboration with the Council and other stakeholders. These changes included reducing the height and massing of the proposed building and amending the design. The new development has been named St George’s Terrace. Richard France, Managing Director of Oakgate Group, said: “It’s great news that Councillors have recognised the benefits that these proposals will bring and approved the plans. “Our proposals will replace an unattractive building to provide high quality new homes and will also bring major improvements to the vital green space, the Rest Gardens next to it – giving the grave of Dick Turpin the presence and profile it warrants, whilst delivering better amenities for the local residents.” Work on the site is expected to start later this year.

Rotherham’s transformative Forge Island leisure-led scheme is coming to fruition with a formal ceremony to mark the final ‘topping out’ milestone held on site this week. The hotel and cinema building structures have now been completed and ‘topped out’ at the landmark destination. This is a key construction milestone for the flagship town centre scheme, which is being delivered on schedule in partnership with Rotherham Council, nationwide placemaker Muse and contractor, Bowmer + Kirkland. Set to open to the public towards the end of summer 2024, Forge Island will include an 8-screen boutique cinema, delivered by The Arc, alongside a 69-room Travelodge Hotel. All commercial space has already been let with six independent restaurants confirmed including Sakku Samba, The Rustic Pizza Co and Estabulo. This will all be set within attractive and accessible public spaces, designed by re-form Landscape Architecture. Together with Rotherham Markets, the improvements are a key part of Rotherham Council’s large-scale regeneration plans aimed at breathing new life into the heart of the borough. Councillor Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “It’s just over a year since we broke ground and here we are topping out these amazing buildings with more exciting milestones to come. Forge Island is the single biggest investment in our town centre for decades and it’s successfully transforming a disused retail site into a landmark family-friendly destination we can all enjoy and be proud to have on our doorstep.” Raife Gale, Senior Development Manager at Muse, added: “We’re thrilled to have reached this significant and very visual milestone that shows just how far this scheme has progressed over recent months. We have been working closely in partnership with the Council to create something special for the people of Rotherham and this will undoubtedly help to bring families into the town centre and enjoy it as a leisure destination once again.” The Arc Cinema will be Rotherham’s first movie theatre in more than 30 years and is a major part of the Forge Island’s family-friendly offer. Brian Gilligan, Director of The Arc Cinema, who attended the topping out, said: “We’re very excited to open on Forge Island later this year and it’s fantastic to be here today and see our cinema taking shape. The Arc Cinema is known for their top-class facilities and we’re proud to say that the new location at Forge Island will be no exception. “We also place a strong emphasis on building personal connections within the community – which includes recruiting locally – and our aim is to create a meaningful place that belongs to the people of Rotherham just as much as it belongs to us.” Tony O’Brien, Travelodge, UK Development Director, added: “We can’t wait to open our new hotel later this year and it’s fantastic to witness this significant milestone in development. Rotherham is growing at pace and has one of the fastest growing economies in Yorkshire. Our 69-room Travelodge hotel will also have an on-site restaurant and car parking. “With the railway station, the town centre amenities and Rotherham United’s AESSEAL New York Stadium within an easy walk, the Travelodge will be ideally located for business and leisure guests. This ground-breaking scheme is an excellent, new leisure destination that I’m sure will be of great benefit to the Rotherham community and visitors to the area for many years to come.” Now that the external structures have completed, work will continue on the building facades ahead of the fit out of the independent food and beverage outlets, hotel and cinema complex in the spring and final works to the new public realm. The wider project team also includes Arup, Helm Consulting and Arcadis, with a new pedestrian bridge designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects.

GMI Construction Group has broken ground on a £50m student accommodation scheme on the site of a former cinema and bingo hall in York. Developer Olympian Homes is naming the purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) Rialto House, after the cinema that once hosted a performance by The Beatles. Spanning 80,000 sq ft, the four-storey building in the Fulford area will provide 275 beds alongside modern amenities, including a gym, yoga studio, games room, co-working spaces, group dining areas, integrated cycle parking, and landscaped courtyards. In a nod to its heritage, it will also feature a cinema. The site of the Rialto Cinema, which opened in 1913 and demolished in 2003, is located within an area of archaeological importance and adjacent to the Centra Core Historic Conservation Area. Latterly the site of the cinema became a car park for the adjacent Mecca bingo hall, which has also since been demolished and is within the scheme’s footprint. GMI, which is utilising a predominantly local supply chain on the project, is highly active in the PBSA market, with Rialto House bringing the number of student beds it is building in the city to almost 600. This includes 303-beds at a scheme in James Street on behalf of York-based S Harrison Developments, which is currently under construction. Andrew Hurcomb, GMI’s Regional Director for Yorkshire, said: “We are thrilled to begin construction on our on-going collaboration with Olympian Homes to deliver a cost-effective, and sustainable design that helps address a shortage of student accommodation in York.” James Lindridge, COO & Development Director at Olympian Homes, added: “We are delighted to have now made significant progress on such a landmark site within York. “We would like to thank York City Council for their ongoing support in delivering the scheme, and GMI for their professionalism and deft in getting to this stage. We look forward to showcasing a best-in-class student product to assist with the undersupply of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation within York.”

Harworth Group’s Riverdale Park development in Doncaster is entering its final phase following a series of land parcel sales. The transactions comprise the sale of three pieces of commercial land for a total of £5.7m, to Polypipe Building Products, a supplier of construction materials, JCT600, one of the UK’s largest motor retailers, and a private developer for the construction of a drive thru-unit, alongside the signing of a forward-funding agreement with Great Places as part of Harworth’s affordable housing portfolio that was launched in 2023. Doncaster-based Polypipe Building Products, part of FTSE 250 constituent Genuit Group plc, has acquired a four-acre land parcel adjacent to its existing Neale Road Manufacturing site, which will be used to provide new facilities. JCT600 has acquired a seven-acre land parcel to develop a new car showroom and forecourt, complementing its existing premises elsewhere in the area, while the private developer has acquired half an acre of land for the construction of a new drive-thru unit. Both land parcels benefit from direct frontage onto Wheatley Hall Road (A630), one of Doncaster’s main throughfares which connects directly to the A1(M) and M18 motorways. Haworth has also entered into a forward-funding agreement with Great Places to develop 50 new affordable housing units as part of the residential element of the Riverdale Park development. The development will include a mixture of two, three and four-bedroom homes that meet the National Planning Policy Framework criteria for affordable housing. Under the terms of the agreement, Harworth has sold a land parcel to Great Places and will oversee the construction of the homes in return for a development management fee. Riverdale Park is located on the site of the former McCormick Tractor factory. In 2015, the 112-acre site became one of Harworth’s first acquisitions, and the Group later secured an outline planning consent to deliver a mixed-use scheme comprising 600 new homes and 200,000 sq ft of employment space. While the employment space prioritises accessibility to Wheatley Hall Road, the residential element of the development is arranged around the River Don, creating a desirable new community for waterside living. Prior to these transactions, Harworth sold employment space at Riverdale Park to Arnold Clark for a new 30,000 sq ft car showroom and to a private developer for the construction of two drive-thru units. The Group also directly developed a drive-thru Costa Coffee unit on the site, which has since been sold. For the residential element of the scheme, land has so far been sold to Barratt, Taylor Wimpey and Harron Homes, which will collectively deliver over 500 new family homes. Harworth has also undertaken works to repair and restore period riverfront features to create an attractive riverside walkway for residents at the site. The development is expected to be fully built out by 2027. Ed Catchpole, Regional Director – Yorkshire & Central, Harworth Group plc, said: “Our Riverdale Park development has transformed a brownfield site into a thriving mixed-use community, providing well-connected leisure and employment space as well as much-needed new family homes in a desirable riverside location. “We are delighted to have transacted with a number of the region’s most successful businesses to help them expand their presence in Doncaster, supporting new jobs and investment in the area, as well as partnering with Great Places to deliver much-needed new affordable homes.” James Crow, Director of Mixed Tenure, Harworth Group plc, said: “Our affordable housing portfolio is about working with selected partners to meet affordable family housing needs, in a large and underserved sector. We are therefore so pleased to have reached our first affordable housing agreement with Great Places, a highly-respected housing provider that shares our commitment to create vibrant, sustainable communities.” Matt Williams, Managing Director, Polypipe Building Products, said: “We are delighted to confirm our commitment to the Doncaster area via this investment, which not only allows us to improve our operational efficiency but also opens the opportunity for expansion of our Neale Road facility in the future.” Helen Spencer, Executive Director of Growth, Great Places, said: “We’re delighted to be part of the Riverdale Park development. Close work with Harworth Group has enabled us to unlock this important site to deliver 50 new affordable homes in the area where we know that demand is high. We’re committed to providing high-quality, sustainable, and affordable housing in the areas we operate and we look forward to working with Harworth Group and other partners to deliver this project.”