New developments, big moves and the regeneration of a major landmark – it’s an exciting time to be in Leeds!
There are always new things happening in Leeds, whether it’s massive regeneration projects or huge additions to the city, but now it’s time to start thinking about the future – and what better way to do that than by revealing all the exciting plans in the pipeline for Leeds? From major developments that will change the city’s skyline to hotels, libraries and railway stations, find out what the future holds as we bring you 10 of the most exciting changes coming soon to Leeds.
The new student development changing the face of Briggate

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The former House of Fraser store on Briggate is in the process of becoming Grand Central Place thanks to Manner, the development arm of Dukelease. This mixed-use development will offer two floors of ground-level retail space, alongside nine floors of student accommodation. When finished, there will be 369 beds across 131 self-contained studios and 47 cluster flats, all of which will benefit from a raft of community facilities. Downstairs, the 35,000 square foot of retail space will be split into smaller units, catering for modern shopping habits.
The new shopping and student destination on the site of The Core

Credit: Corstorphine & Wright
The Core shopping centre on The Headrow will soon be no more. Owners Tri7 and developers Fusion Students have teamed up with architects Corstorphine & Wright to reimagine the site. The existing structures will be knocked down and replaced by three new buildings, while two new streets will connect Lands Lane with King Charles Street. There will be 38,000 square foot of retail and leisure space facing The Headrow, Lands Lane, part of King Charles Street and the two new streets, while 809 student apartments will be created on the floors above.
The riverside regeneration project on Kirkstall Road
Work is well underway on the £350 million development on Kirkstall Road, which will create a brand new district on the banks of the River Aire on an industrial site disused for two decades. It’s a massive development for Leeds, providing 1,792 homes and over 4,000 square metres of commercial space. The project will also see the delivery of 2.2 hectares of green space, including a vast riverside park. Developers Latimer are working with the council and St George’s Crypt to manage short term homes on-site to help the homeless.
The arrival of the British Library of the North

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Temple Works is a Leeds icon left empty for too long. Well, not for much longer. The Egyptian-inspired landmark in Holbeck will reopen to the public as the northern, people-facing HQ of the British Library. Working with developers CEG and Leeds City Council, the £75 million project has already seen urgent repair and stabilisation works carried out, with the main phase to follow in the coming years. Once complete, the new British Library of the North will deliver a medley of research, cultural, learning and business services for the local community.
The foodie revolution of the White Cloth Hall

Credit: JMA Photography
First opened in 1775, and renovated in 1991, the long-empty Third White Cloth Hall has a bright future once again. It’s been taken over by the team behind Whitelock’s to create a new food and drink hall in a Leeds landmark in the heart of the city. The street food and craft beer destination will welcome a series of much-loved local, independent traders, while also serving brews from the likes of Five Points, Kirkstall and Anthology. Work is underway on the project, which is tipped to open to the hungry masses in spring 2024.
The landmark park and development at a former brewery
When Vastint’s Aire Park is complete in 2025, it will have transformed a long-empty part of Leeds city centre around The Tetley. Major milestones have already been hit – the Meadow Lane section of the park is complete, and a five-acre section over to Crown Point Road is in the works. The office buildings and homes from Phase One are now done, while Phase Two is well underway, promising 75,000 square foot of office space and 7,000 square foot of retail and leisure space. It will be completed by turning the old Tetley HQ into offices with a new cellar bar & restaurant.
The two new rail stations in the suburbs
Connectivity has always been an issue here, but with two new rail stations soon to open, one at White Rose and the other at Thorpe Park, it will get a little easier for people in South and East Leeds. The first is a £26.5 million investment in the city – it’s expected to open in early 2024, with connections to the shopping centre and local bus interchange. Work on the latter, which will include a park and ride station, will begin in 2024 to open the following year.
The transformative £500 million project on the South Bank
The face of the South Bank will continue to change massively over the next few years, with the regeneration around Sweet Street in Holbeck from developers PLATFORM_. It’s a huge scheme – four interconnected residential blocks will offer 1,350 studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, next to a pair of office buildings. Eco-friendly designs run through the development, while amenities take you from a gym and lounges to co-working spaces, a children’s play area and an on-site pub, The Commercial, a Leeds legend being brought back to life as part of the scheme.
The completion of the Armley Gyratory improvement scheme

Credit: Leeds City Council
Anyone who’s driven in Leeds knows how important a working, moving Armley Gyratory is for getting around the city. Work has been ongoing since 2021 to make it more reliable. They’ve already widened the central gyratory and approaches, increased lane capacity and improved carriageway pavement. The next steps are now underway, adding new signals, lighting and landscaping, while also replacing old footbridges with new, more accessible ones. The end result will improve Armley Gyratory for all road users and improve traffic flow across the city.
The ongoing transformation of Leeds Kirkgate Market
A true icon of the city, Leeds Kirkgate Market is being future proofed for generations to come. A new six-storey hotel is currently in the works on the George Street side of the market, which will turn the currently vacant low-rise shops into a 143-bed hotel complex for Premier Inn, complete with ground-floor leisure units and a council-operated gym, as part of a design that will be in keeping with heritage of the Grade I-listed building. Also in the works is a new container-style street food market in the outdoor market further down George Street.
Cover image Credit: Corstorphine & Wright.