New Briggate Heritage Action Zone – Leeds

Bowman Riley has been providing architectural services for two separate clients on adjacent properties on New Briggate in Leeds city centre, part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone.

New Briggate is within the Grand Quarter Conservation Area and has high-quality historic buildings. It has successful businesses and a vibrant cultural scene courtesy of the 19th-century Grand Theatre and Opera North headquarters but it suffers from traffic congestion, vacant space and decay to buildings.

The Heritage Action Zone project will transform New Briggate and the surrounding area, making it more pedestrian-friendly, investing in repairs to buildings to enhance their historic character and bringing new uses to St John’s Churchyard.

Our role has involved preparing grant applications for two separate buildings on the street known as The Grand Parade to secure funding for the repair of roofs, façades, brickwork and architectural features.

The former Central Hotel building application also involves the reinstatement of traditional shop fronts, timber and sash windows and doors and the refurbishment of vacant upper floors to bring them back into use for residential purposes. Once the grant has been approved, we will begin work on the scheme on site through to completion.

On the second property, our involvement is restricted to exterior improvements as the upper floors had already been converted into apartments.

We prepared our grant applications to strict deadlines and in liaison with Leeds City Council’s Senior Conservation Officer and the Heritage Action Zone team including Historic England.

Read more about the New Briggate Heritage Action Zone here.

Read more about our Heritage Projects here.