Independent chartered surveyors Carter Towler has relocated its headquarters to a more prominent and spacious office at Apsley House, Wellington Street, Leeds. The company has secured a 5 year lease on 5,650 sq ft of ground-floor office space within the distinctive Grade II listed building situated at the junction of Queen Street and Wellington Street. Constructed in 1903 and featuring an impressive brick and red terracotta facade, four-storey Apsley House is located just minutes from the train station, city square, and retail quarter. Commenting on the new headquarters, managing director Ian Greenwood said: “We are proud of the fact that we have over 7 decades of business under our belts but know only too well that we must continue to evolve to succeed. “This is a pivotal step in our future development. It is all about providing the best possible environment for our staff to thrive in, and our clients to visit. “Although Apsley House is a charming historic building we wanted to create a highly contemporary workspace, and thanks to the expertise of our fitout partners, Building Interiors, I think we have achieved that. “This relocation endorses the positivity we have for the future growth of Carter Towler.” The company employs 58 staff and in addition to its head office in Leeds, it has offices in York and Durham. Director Matt Faulkes concluded: “The move has brought an added energy across the whole of the business, and it has been an absolute pleasure working with Pullans our new landlords – who also happen to be longstanding clients – on finalising the details of the new lease. We hope this new dimension to our working relationship will prove to be a resounding success for us all!”

Contractor Clegg Construction has held a topping out ceremony at The Fabric Works in Leeds to mark a key milestone in the development of the £37m student accommodation scheme. The event celebrates a significant step in the delivery of the 402-studio block, which is due to complete in summer 2025 ahead of the 2025/2026 academic intake. The scheme is being delivered in partnership with PPG Leeds Ltd, a joint venture between Primus Property Group and HIG Capital. It is situated next to Spinners Yard – a 185-apartment build-to-rent development also being built by Clegg Construction. Michael Sims, managing director at Clegg Construction, said: “We are very pleased to have reached this key stage in the development of The Fabric Works and to have held a topping out of the roof ceremony to mark the occasion. “The Fabric Works is a superb scheme which will provide attractive, much-needed accommodation for students in Leeds. Clegg Construction is proud to be delivering this significant asset to the local community and helping to regenerate the area.” Adam Turner, director at Primus, said: “We are delighted with the progress made by Clegg Construction at The Fabric Works. This topping out ceremony marks a key milestone in the project, with internal fit-out and envelope works underway towards completion next year and student occupation under our new CODU brand.” The wider project team delivering The Fabric Works includes Tim Groom Architects, Ridge and Partners, Strive, KKA Studio, Quartz Project Services, and Innov8 Development Solutions. As part of the delivery of The Fabric Works, Clegg Construction has undertaken a range of commitments to the local community including hosting multiple visits from Leeds College of Building students, significant donations to Blessed of the Father Food Bank, and regular contact with members of the neighbourhood via newsletters, a noticeboard, letter drops and in-person visits from the site team. Clegg Construction has also worked with Community Wood Recycling for wood waste management and Wren Bakery, which uses baking and coffee as tools to provide disadvantaged women with opportunities towards employment. The Fabric Works is one of three significant live projects in Leeds that Clegg Construction is currently working on, the others being Spinners Yard, plus a multi-million pound refurbishment of the Cosmopolitan Hotel on the corner of Lower Briggate and Swinegate.

Vastint UK has launched Leeds’ newest commercial district at Aire Park, with the opening of buildings 1 and 3 South Brook Street, reintroducing a historic street name to the city. The original South Brook Street disappeared with the expansion of the Tetley Brewery but has now been reinstated as part of the new commercial district which will see the creation of almost ¾ million sq ft of new office space on Leeds South Bank. The first two buildings on South Brook Street create space for over 2,000 workers, offering 190,000 sq ft of Grade-A commercial space, including some of the largest floorplates available in Leeds. Designed with ESG and resilience at their heart, the buildings are targeting a BREAAM ‘Excellent’ certification, as well as having been pre-certified for a WELL Gold accreditation. These buildings follow the opening of the first areas of public realm, including the Tetley Green, Theatre Gardens and Tetley Triangle. These will form part of the site’s eight-acre city centre park and will feature a vibrant leisure offering of shops, bars and restaurants and public amenities. Commenting on the completion of buildings 1 and 3 South Brook Street, Simon Schofield, head of development North at Vastint UK, said: “Aire Park offers the chance for Vastint UK to create a whole new district within Leeds with the UK’s largest new city centre green park at its heart. As we look to the future of this former industrial site and creating new spaces for Leeds’ next generation of business leaders, we wanted to give a nod to those that had come before. “Once complete, South Brook Street, will feature seven buildings with 700,000 sq ft of Grade-A office space, creating space for over 10,000 workers, alongside 40,000 sq ft of retail space and a multi-storey car park. Whilst the South Brook Street of yesteryear has long been forgotten, we’re looking forward to writing a new chapter in its history with the launch of Aire Park’s new commercial space and welcoming the first occupiers to buildings 1 and 3.” Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “The launch of this new commercial neighbourhood is an important milestone for Vastint’s Aire Park project, and complements the wider transformative work being led by the council around the site and across the rest of the South Bank. “As the former home of the world-famous Tetley Brewery, this part of the city centre has a fascinating and significant past as well as a very bright future. It’s really pleasing, therefore, to hear that its heritage is being celebrated through the naming of South Brook Street.”

10 South Parade, in the heart of Leeds’ business district, is now fully let following the latest deal with national law firm Thompsons Solicitors, which will be moving from its current premises in the city next month. Thompsons has agreed to take 3,640 sq ft of Grade A office space on a 10-year lease. CBRE’s Office Agency team in Leeds secured the latest tenant, acting for Wilton Developments, who develop and manage the building for the owners East Parade Ltd. Thompsons Solicitors was established in 1921 and has more than 800 staff across 18 offices in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with an associated firm in Scotland. The firm is relocating its 64-strong Leeds team from Coverdale House on East Parade. Sanderson Weatherall acted for Thompsons Solicitors in the deal. This latest occupier follows a deal with marketing agency IDHL earlier this month, who snapped up the largest floor within the building. Existing tenants include Armstrong Watson, Odgers Berndston, SCP and DB3 Architecture. Nicola Harrison, Managing Partner in Leeds from Thompsons Solicitors, said: “With a long-established presence in Leeds, having operated in the city for over 30 years, we are very pleased to relocate to new premises in the heart of the city. “This move supports our firm’s continued growth and ensures we can better serve the thousands of clients we represent across West and North Yorkshire from our Leeds office. Additionally, it will provide an enhanced working environment for our dedicated Leeds office team.” Jason Stowe, Managing Director of Wilton Developments, said: “On behalf of East Parade Limited we welcome Nicola and colleagues from Thompsons to the building. They are joining the community here at 10SP at an exciting time in its evolution, of which we will be able to reveal in the forthcoming weeks. “It was a transaction that required to be undertaken without delay and it’s a credit to all involved that we collectively met Thompsons timescales.” Clair McGowan, Director, CBRE Leeds, said: “10 South Parade has continually evolved to meet the needs of modern occupiers, thanks to an extensive redevelopment of the original building by Wilton Developments. “It is prominently positioned in the heart of the professional and financial business core with a range of services on the doorstep and excellent transport connectivity. The building has attracted high-profile businesses, and this deal now sees it fully occupied.” Jay Dhesi, Senior Surveyor, Sanderson Weatherall, said: “We are delighted to have acquired 3,640 sq ft of prime office space on behalf of Thompsons Solicitors, situated in an excellent location with great amenities nearby. “We especially thank Wilton Developments for being proactive and meeting our clients’ timescales. We are excited to see the refurbishment of the on-site amenities unfold, creating a dynamic and welcoming environment.”

Lincolon-based Lindum is to start work on 39 new affordable homes in a village in East Cambridgeshire next month, working for Accent Housing to deliver the homes in Little Downham near Ely. The scheme is being built on land next to a previous Lindum development of 27 homes for Accent at Old Fir Close in the village. Steve Angus, Commercial Director at Lindum Group, said: ”We’re really pleased to be working with Accent again to deliver this second phase of housing for the community of Little Downham. “The success of phase one, which was delivered during the pandemic, has demonstrated the need for good quality, affordable homes in this area and I’m sure these new properties will prove just as welcome. Lindum has a great working relationship with Accent and our on-going scheme at nearby Bottisham is progressing very well. We look forward to starting on site in November.” Work is due to start on site in November, with completion estimated by summer 2026.