Plans for a new 30-storey residential tower in Leeds have been halted after the developer, CityLife, failed to finalise a crucial legal agreement with the local council. The project, approved in October 2023, aimed to construct 345 flats at Cartwright House in Holbeck. However, the final approval was contingent on the provision of 24 affordable homes and a financial contribution of £680,000 towards various infrastructure improvements.
Leeds City Council has now refused planning permission for the development due to the developer’s failure to meet these conditions. The council’s spokesperson clarified that the deal would have contributed to affordable housing, green space improvements, and transportation upgrades, but the lack of a completed agreement meant the project did not align with council planning policies.
The proposed tower was the second phase of CityLife’s Springwell Gardens development, following the completion of a 16-storey building on an adjacent site. This phase was designed to include primarily one and two-bedroom flats, with a rooftop garden offering city views. Despite multiple extensions, the developer did not secure the necessary section 106 agreement, which would have also funded a nearby bus shelter and green space enhancements.
CityLife could still appeal the refusal, with the council open to revisiting the agreement if the necessary terms are met.
