Work to restart on Trinity Leeds

Work is due to start in August on the stalled £350million Trinity Leeds shopping development, developer Land Securities has announced today.

Work on the scheme was put on hold 16 months ago due to the recession.

The 1,000,000 square foot development in Leeds city centre will have 120 shops and restaurants.

It is already some 47 per cent pre-let or in solicitors' hands and has attracted new flagship stores for TopShop/TopMan, H&M, River Island and Next and secured new brands for the city with Hollister and Cult.

The new retailers will join the existing major stores of Marks & Spencer, Bhs and Boots.

The project will create up to 1,000 construction related jobs at the peak of its development programme and will employ an estimated 3,000 retail related positions upon completion.

Richard Akers, managing director retail for Land Securities said: “We have seen a building of momentum with the level of secured lettings demonstrating the confidence in Leeds as a destination and in the Trinity Leeds project, which is the first major development scheme outside London to go live. The quality of retailers that we have signed to the scheme supports Land Securities’ view that there is demand from retailers for the right property in the right location.”

The development is expected to open in spring 2013.