City Centre
The City Centre of Leeds can roughly separated into four un-official areas or quarter’s:
The Civic Quarter
The ‘The Civic Quarter’ is the area towards the north of the City Centre and is dis-sected by The Headrow. It is home to the Leeds Magistrates and Crown Courts. Leeds Town Hall is a prominent landmark which was completed in 1858 and opened by Queen Victoria. The City Library and City Gallery are next door. Park Square is also found here. The city’s largest hospital the LGI is also located here and was first opened in 1771.
Behind Leeds Town Hall is Millennium Square and Leeds Civic Hall, two other prominent Leeds landmarks. Millennium Square was Leeds’ flagship project to mark the year 2000 and hosts regular concerts by bands including the Kaiser Chiefs, Hard-Fi and Embrace. Leeds Civic Hall was opened inn 1933 by King George V and is home to Lord Mayors room and the council chambers.
Because of it’s close proximity to the courts many barrister’s chambers and solicitor’s offices are found here. The architecture in the civic quarter is predominantly Victorian to match the civic buildings.
The Shopping Quarter
The ‘Shopping Quarter’ is the area which extends south from The Headrow to Boar Lane. Many of city’s largest shops are found here. Like any major city the shopping district is home to both major international chains, including Marks and Spencers which was founded on a small market stall at the city’s market, and independent shops. The Corn Exchange is home to many of these independent shops.
Most streets in the Shopping Quarter are connected to Briggate. It is one of many of the main shopping streets and is also home to several national and international food chains like; McDonalds,Burger King and Pizza Hut; and several international shopping chains including Borders and Zara. It is also home to a Harvey Nichols, the first to be built outside of London. Off of Brrigate are several of Leeds’ famous shopping arcades such as the Thornton Arcade and the Victoria Quarter. It was fully pedestriansed in 1996 and connected the two previous pedestrian areas either side of it. Other shopping attractions include the Corn Exchange, Leeds Kirkgate Market, Granary Wharfe, Leeds Shopping Plaza, Headrow Shopping Centre, The Light, The St Johns Centre, The Merrion Centre Leeds, Crown Point, Birstall Retail Park and the White Rose Centre. In addition, there are 2 proposed shopping centres, namely the Harewood/Eastgate Quarter and Trinity Quarter.
The Cultural Quarter
The ‘Cultural Quarter’ is situated in the east of the City Centre. The recently constructed BBC building, which moved from Woodhouse Lane just north of the City Centre; the West Yorkshire Playhouse, which opened in March 1990; and the Leeds College of Music which moved to its current location in 1997. It is also where the Royal Armouries Museum (opened in 1996 when the collection was north transferred from the Tower of London where it was previously located) can be found. The building, which was designed by architect Derek Walker, at a cost of £42.5 million and was completed in two years and has become one of the city’s major tourist attractions.
The Skyscraper Quarter
The ‘Skyscraper Quarter’ is the location for much of the extensive building works currently in Leeds. It is the area south of Boar Lane. Many of the city’s tallest buildings can be found here. Bridgewater Place, currently the tallest building in Leeds, is found here. However this could well be replaced as early as 2007 by the proposed La Lumiere development.
Development
In recent times Leeds has seen many new developments. Some large schemes that are proposed or under construction include:
- Holbeck Urban Village regeneration
- Clarence Dock (Completion 2007)
- Quarry Hill Cultural Quarter
- Leeds Metropolitan University rebuilding & partial relocation
- Millennium Square
- Leeds Station modernization
- Leeds Arena
- St. James’ University Hospital Oncology wing (Jimmy’s)
- Harewood/Eastgate shopping quarters (commence Late 2006/Early 2007)
- Trinity Shopping Quarter (commence 2006)
- South Leeds Sports Centre
- Leeds Bradford International Airport expansion
- Whitehall Road
- Wellington Place
- Completion of Leeds Inner Ring Road and construction of East Leeds Relief Road
High rise schemes are making a much bigger mark on Leeds’ skyline. Sixteen skyscrapers are under construction or proposed, all of them taller than West Riding House - Leeds’ tallest building since it was built in the 1970s. The UK’s tallest building outside of London, La Lumiere, has also got the green light for construction in Leeds.
* Bridgewater Place (construction)
* The Plaza (construction)
* La Lumiere 1 & 2 (construction imminent)
* Criterion Place 1 & 2 (advanced planning)
* The Gateway (construction)
* Mayfair (advanced planning)
* Brunswick Terrace
* Spiracle Tower
* Kite Tower
* Leeds University
* Wade Lane Apartments
* Green Bank including Providence Tower (GreenBank Website) (advanced planning)
* Clarence Dock (construction)
* Sweet Street (advanced planning)
* Marshall Street (planning)
* Monkbridge Forge (planning)
* West Central