Area-based regeneration: South Bank, Leeds

Creative Space has worked for over 15 years establishing a new mixed-use quarter themed around creative & digital workspace in the area once known as Holbeck Urban Village, which now forms part of Temple and the wider South Bank Leeds regeneration area.

Beginning in 2003, Creative Space established Round Foundry Media Centre on behalf of the regional development agency and Leeds City Council. A serviced office space targeted exclusively at businesses working in the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) sectors, this building began to spin-out businesses into neighbouring buildings on the Round Foundry and Marshalls Mill estate, several growing from a couple of desks to create 100+ jobs.

Cumulatively this drove lettings from other creative & digital businesses and established a significant sector-based cluster. Notable occupiers include True North (the largest independent TV producer in the North of England) and Flashtalking (an ad serve agency, founded in the neighbourhood but now operating globally).

Creative Space went on to specify and manage Tower Works (illustrated), a flexible workspace building which opened in 2014, reaching 100% occupancy within its first year.  The team has also acted as commercial agent for a number of the other developments in the neighbourhood. Creative Space has let a total of 210,000 sq. ft. / 19,510 sq. m of business space in the area, for a range of asset owners including Hermes Investment, Richardson Capital, Aviva and Muse. Jobs accommodated by the cluster of developments are estimated at approximately 3,500 with a GVA of £220m.

The success of our early-stage work has radically changed local values over time and contributed to attracting new development of such a scale that it will impact on the city centre for decades to come.