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Broadcasting Place, Leeds Metropolitan University

When the regional BBC relocated, it created an opportunity to redevelop the old broadcasting studios site into a student village, with a multi level building (23 storeys) and an enclosed courtyard. The new and retained listed buildings of Broadcasting Place make it the latest and most contemporary tall building in north central Leeds 'University Quarter'.

This is a public/private partnership with the Client and Leeds Metropolitan University providing academic space and student residences in a landmark building.

The overall project, consisting of three buildings, will provide 11,000m² of teaching and office space for four departments. The buildings will include space for an adjacent Baptist Church, a café, exhibition space and 240 student bedrooms with ancillary functions.

The design of the matching high and low rise buildings includes a segmented angular faceted tower which is clad with Cor-ten steel panels; this naturally corroded steel finish will be a first in Leeds, and will be one of the largest developments to use Cor-ten in the UK.

In order to deliver all of the different elements of this complex site, including Listed Buildings, the Church, teaching space and 23 storeys of accommodation, Ridge was briefed to work closely with the developer and his building contractor in order to meet the needs of the Local Planning Authority and the complex planning application process and resolve and achieve an acceptable development appraisal in conjunction with negotiating a contract sum.

The Ridge brief continued beyond its pre-construction involvement, appointed on behalf of the Developer to act as Employer’s Agent and to act as Tenant Liaison with Leeds Metropolitan University, in the delivery of a further £6million of University fit out works.

Ridge undertook a complex cost planning and value engineering exercise in order to bring together the needs of the Developer with the ambitions of the Architects and Local Planning Authority to deliver the project within the constraints of the Development Appraisal – as part of this process, a review of the key building elements was undertaken, construction requirements for the high-rise tower were streamlined and off-site pre-fabrication of key project components was introduced in the form of pre fabricated bathroom pods.