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17 Jul 2025

Leeds South Bank Project – A Decade on

Category: Regeneration

It has been 10 years since Leeds City Council adopted its South Bank Leeds planning statement outlining the key city areas of focus. Initial plans were met with a large amount of scepticism by the local community as another pipeline dream that would not really materialise. After all, it would not be the first time a council overpromises and underdelivers.

In our latest article, we take a close look at the Leeds South Bank regeneration project, the progress that has been made and whether it will truly live up to its billing.

Author: Sam Morrell

Managing Director

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Where is Leeds’ South Bank?

Firstly, you might be asking what exactly is Leeds South Bank? South Bank is a large area south of Leeds’ River Aire consisting of the districts of Holbeck and Hunslet. For many years the area old derelict buildings were surrounding the area, industrial estates and wasteland. It also borders areas with high crime rates and some of the highest levels of poverty in the city.

That said, in the South Bank area, many attractive listed and unused buildings are in major need of restoration, providing fantastic foundations. Foundations Leeds City Council intend to make full use of.

What is the Leeds South Bank Project?

The Leeds South Bank project is a series of initiatives that seeks to transform the area and double the size of Leeds city centre. Covering an area equivalent to 250 football pitches, the project is one of the largest regeneration projects the UK has ever witnessed. Furthermore, with £500m public investment and billions of pounds of private investment it has garnered considerable national and international backing.

Leeds City Council’s overarching vision is to turn the Leeds South Bank area into a ‘distinctive European destination for investment, living, learning, creativity and leisure’. The framework devised by the City Council sets out criteria that it wishes South Bank Leeds to achieve:

provide an additional 35,000 jobs
contribute over 4,000 homes
showcase the diversity of the Leeds economy, where a range of sectors are located
retain historic assets as central to our placemaking
cement the city’s status as a leading destination for leisure – with distinctive and diverse public spaces, and a green city centre park
has a world class waterfront
be inclusive and connect people to jobs by improving links between South Bank and surrounding neighbourhoods
make the most of the opportunities presented by rail infrastructure improvements in the north of England.

How has the South Bank Project progressed?

Over a decade has passed since plans were laid out for the implementation of the Leeds South Bank Regeneration project. The question, therefore, is how well has it progressed during that time? Below we will look at some of the initiatives that make up the overall project, how they are progressing and whether the South Bank project is truly being realised.

1 | Aire Park

Aire Park is comfortably the largest and arguably the most impressive of the initiatives that makes up the Leeds South Bank Project. Aire Park will be an enormous mixed-use district surrounding Tetley’s former brewery site. At the heart the new district will be an expansive city park with large green spaces and hundreds of newly planted trees. In fact, Aire Park will be the largest new park in the UK on completion, providing all important green spaces for Leeds residents. Leeds City Council officers go as far as calling it the first major 21st-century park, adding it would be a “catalyst for regeneration” in the surrounding area.

However, the ambitious plan does not just incorporate a new park. Towards the periphery of the expansive project there will be mixed-use commercial space, residential buildings and retail and leisure amenities.

The first phase of Aire Park will include, amongst other things:

A 2-hectare city park, with hundreds of new trees
85,000 m2 of new office space
15,000 m2 of retail, education, leisure or health space
Up to 850 new homes
Over 2,000 m2 of outdoor event space including an amphitheatre
A 400 bedroom hotel

How is Aire Park progressing?

Vastint has been working closely with Leeds City Council who did approve planning permission for phase one at the end of 2018. Since then, the enormous Leeds South Bank site has been carefully prepared ready for development to commence. In September 2021, the developer began pouring the concrete ready for building works to begin.

CityRise Verdict: Work Progressing well

2 | CEG Temple

Situated in Holbeck Urban Village, CEG Temple is a mixed-use project being delivered by developer CEG. The scheme comprises several individual projects, namely One Global Square, Globe Point, Drapers Yard and Temple Works. With nearly 200,000 sq ft of office space the area will become a new commercial hub in Leeds and increase the footfall to South Bank dramatically. The projects proximity to Leeds central train station and strategic location in the city has seen all office space pre-leased before being anywhere near completion.

Much like the rest of the South Bank projects there has been plenty of consultation around the incorporation of public spaces and other local amenities. CEG Temple is no different and will be improving outdoor spaces and providing lots of new amenities such as café’s, restaurants, bars, pharmacies and supermarkets.

Looking forwards, CEG are not planning on slowing down and, instead, are focusing on developing on more sites in the area. In fact, they have achieved further outline planning for up to 1.1m sq ft of office space, retail, leisure, hotel, health, education and community uses, and up to 750 new homes. This will be delivered in five phases over 12 years and become a new gateway to the city.

How is CEG Temple Progressing?

Since acquiring the sites around 7 years ago CEG have been concentrating on getting full planning permission and preparing for the commencement of building works. The first project to get underway in early 2021 was Globe Point. The 37,800 sq ft seven-storey building, has been completed, and provides a workspace for over 400 people, and has a flat iron design, which will provide views across the city from the roof terrace gardens.

It appears that the famous grade I-listed temple works building might be in for a slightly slower process. Weather-proofing works are underway as a temporary measure while more ambitious plans for its long-term security are being finalised.

CityRise Verdict: Progressing well

3 | Tower Works

Tower Works is a former factory located at the heart of Holbeck Urban Village directly next to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. It is seen as a distinctive landmark in the Leeds skyline characterised by its three listed Italianate towers. The factory has for decades been seen as one of the most important sites for the South Bank Regeneration project. Its waterside location, easy access to Leeds City Train Station and proximity to many bars and restaurants will ensure its success.

The developer intends to ‘combine iconic buildings of the past with the newest neighbourhood of the city centre’. They anticipate that the development will offer residents the very best of waterside living in the city and propel Holbeck Urban Village as one of the coolest neighbourhoods in South Bank.

How is Tower Works Progressing?

Planning was granted in 2020, and in September 2023, 245 new homes were completed. Sir Robert Alpine was appointed lead contractor and various consultations were had with bodies such as the Canal & River Trust. The developer was keen to ensure that Tower Works fully embraced the listed towers and improved the canal footpaths adjacent to the site.

CityRise Verdict: Looks great and completed on time

4 | Climate Innovation District

The Climate Innovation District located on the river Aire to the east of Leeds city centre is an important project in the city’s fight against climate change. The project aims to turn a large brownfield site into 516 low energy homes in a new environmentally friendly community.

The concept, devised by forward-thinking developer Citu, will convert the industrial environment into a walkable, healthy, family friendly environment. Designs for the townhouses and apartments are based upon Scandinavian urban densities with an exceptional standard of environmental performance.

Furthermore, the onsite factory, Citu Works, will be producing the timber-frame housing system for all 516 homes. The plant has the capability to produce up to 750 low-carbon homes each year. It is among the first of its kind in the UK and is evidence of the technological innovation in the city and South Bank project.

When complete by 2030, the Climate Innovation District will be the UK’s biggest sustainable urban development, complete with a primary school, care home, bars, restaurants, cafes and a bakery.

How is Climate Innovation District Progressing?

Citu’s commitment to using sustainable materials, all produced in the onsite factory, will certainly have an impact on the build time for the Climate Innovation District. Of course, there were some inevitable delays with the pandemic but it appears as though development is speeding up again. The first phase of homes are complete and filled, and the new office is also complete. Townhouses and apartments are still under construction.

When asking the question whether there has been progress in the Climate Innovation District, the answer must be a resounding yes. The properties have people living in them. A community is starting to form and reading interviews from residents it appears that they are very happy with their new homes.

CityRise Verdict: Progressing well and many aspects are complete

5 | Monk Bridge

The Monk Bridge complex, aptly named after the bridge it is situated next to, is an enormous purpose-built “Build to Rent” neighbourhood in the South Bank area. This project unlocked the potential of a redundant but very well located Grainger Viaduct whilst supporting the ongoing expansion of the city centre.

The new neighbourhood comprises five residential buildings and new public spaces on top of and in front of the historic viaduct. It has opened up access to the canal and riverside and drastically improve the aesthetics of the footpath scenery. The viaduct restoration opened up space within the 20 arches for new restaurants and bars,

In total there are 665 one, two and three-bedroom apartments to rent across the five buildings. The tallest of these buildings is 22 storeys with the smallest 12 storeys. The developer believes this granular approach will allow for new pockets of the public realm to be created in-between the buildings. These spaces have been brought to life by beautifully landscaped public spaces and have various amenities to offer residents and the general public.

How is Monk Bridge Progressing?

Of all the developments in this list Monk Bridge has arguably progressed the quickest. In fact, from receiving planning approval from Leeds City Council earlier in 2021 the developers have wasted no time. All five buildings have now been completed.

Despite development only starting in the summer of 2021 the final construction work was completed in 2023. All five buildings and the rejuvenated viaduct space have been a fantastic addition to the South Bank and really open up the Leeds and Liverpool canal to the public.

Is the Leeds South Bank Project Progressing?

The ambitious Leeds South Bank project has, in some respects, been a slow burner. Five years ago, you would forgive residents of Leeds viewing the plans as mere pipeline dreams. After all, like many other regeneration projects proposed across the UK, much of the responsibility rests on the bureaucratic and inefficient city councils. Leeds City Council are no stranger to over promising and under delivering on projects and South Bank is arguably one of the largest projects in Leeds’ long and illustrious history.

Fast forward a decade and the situation is transforming. The Leeds skyline is full with many cranes. Heavy machinery and builders are busy on almost all brownfield sites in South Bank Leeds. The five projects detailed above are by no means an exclusive list of the initiatives that make up South Bank. However, they are some of the more ambitious ones and progress across them all is fantastic.

Leeds is the proud home of CityRise and we are very excited watching it transform into one of the UK’s most impressive cities. The Leeds South Bank project in particular offers the ingredients required to propel Leeds fortunes over the next ten years.