The development, valued at £29.5m, has been designed by Durham-based architecture practice, Howarth Litchfield, which has worked with Alumno from pre-planning stage on proposals to demolish several vacant buildings on the site in preparation for its full re-development.

Built over six and seven storeys with a gross internal area of 11,840 sqm, the 411-bed building with ground floor commercial and cultural uses, is of a substantially brick facing design and features storey height windows and deep reveals with feature brick detailing.

It will contain a mixture of cluster flats and studios, including ten accessible bedrooms, an entrance hub with communal space, offices, a meeting room, laundry, and gym. There is also flexible gallery and studio space which will be used to support local artists and will feature workshops, a kiln and exhibition area. It will be run by a local non-profit organisation. And at roof level there is a terrace with an innovative specially planted biodiversity area featuring further communal study spaces and a cinema room.

Howarth Litchfield was appointed lead architect for the project after submitting a competitive tender and was ideally qualified to undertake the commission following the success of its work on an earlier 420-bed student scheme for Alumno at Sheraton Park, Durham.

Speaking about the practice’s appointment on the Whitelock Street scheme, Howarth Litchfield’s managing director, architect, Jonathan Yates, said: “We have collaborated closely with the Alumno team from the outset, and following a successful planning outcome, we were subsequently novated to provide a D&B role throughout the construction programme following GMI Construction’s appointment as preferred contactor in April 2021. It is satisfying to be able to bring a disused site back to life in an up-and-coming area of the city.”

Andrew Hurcomb, divisional managing director of GMI Construction Group, added: “We are proud to continue our relationship with Alumno with this latest project. After completing the first three months of the 80-week build programme, which were spent demolishing the three existing buildings, we have now laid the concrete foundations and are commencing with the piling for the new development, which will contribute to the ongoing regeneration of this area of Leeds.”

RPS, the global professional services firm, was responsible for submitting the planning application and has subsequently been appointed project manager, cost consultant, principal designer and BREEAM assessor.