Eastgate Quarters

Infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Eastgate Quarters
location = Leeds, England


image_width =
caption =
opening_date = 2012
developer = Hammerson and Town Centre Securities (Leeds Partnership)
owner =
number_of_stores =
number_of_anchors =
parking = 2,700 spaces
floor_area = convert|134705|m2|sqft|abbr=on|0 convert|1449953|sqft|m2|abbr=on
floors = 20
website = [http://www.eastgateleeds.co.uk/ eastgateleeds.co.uk]

Eastgate Quarters, nicknamed Eastgate Centre and formerly known in early planning as the Harewood and Eastgate Quarters, is a planned €1 billion retail development in Leeds, England which is planned to open for around 2012. It is a joint project development by Hammerson and Town Centre Securities under the Leeds Partnership name.

The initial plans for the centre have been designed by Terry Farrell's architectural practice. However the final scheme will be designed by an array of different architectural practices.

It was first announced in 2004 and had followed several cancelled schemes for the site to the east of Leeds City Centre dating back between the 1970s and 1990s.

It stands on a site that is at present used largely as a surface level car park and also is currently home to a very small China Town which has caused some controversy due to the possible eviction of occupiers of the present buildings. There has also been some concern over the possible loss of old buildings which stand on the planned site of the development. [http://www.leedscivictrust.org.uk/news0703EastgtOutline.html]

Department Store John Lewis is the Eastgate Quarters' anchor tenant and is planned to occupy a 26,000 square metres store including a food hall under the John Lewis Foodhall from Waitrose name similar to the one which recently opened at the company's Oxford Street, London store.

Originally when the Eastgate Quarters was in early planning the second department store was to be occupied by Selfridges [http://www.leedscivictrust.org.uk/news04a06HarewoodEastgate.htm] but due to a change in ownership in 2003 with the new owner Galen Weston halting all expansion Selfridges had cancelled their plans to open in Leeds.

However on the 14th January 2008 Marks and Spencer had been announced as the second anchor store for the Eastgate Quarters. It will open a 18,240 square metres unit including menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, a full home range, cafe and a food hall. It will complement and not replace the existing Marks and Spencer store on Briggate. [http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/New-MS-store-for-Leeds.3668629.jp]

Eastgate Quarters will have around 20 storeys, There will be 134,705 square metres / 1.49 million sq ft of floor space in the centre and there will be 2,700 car parking spaces and 600 residential homes.

Area

Eastgate Quarters will be located between the civic quarter, the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the existing retail quarter.

Eastgate Quarters is flanked by the inner ring road, a major arterial route surrounding Leeds City Centre. It is adjacent to the established Victoria Quarter shopping arcade and Leeds bus station.

The location is also on the main access route in and out of the city to the motorway network. The M1/A1 provides north/south access to the Midlands, London, Newcastle and Edinburgh. The M62 motorway provides east/west access to Hull, Manchester and Liverpool.

The development will be split into three sections including:

Harewood Courts

This is where the upmarket fashon retailers will be located within the centre (in a similar emphasis to the existing Victoria Quarter). This area will include 200,000 sq ft / 18,600 m² of retail and 600 new homes.

Lady Lane

The cafe and lesure area, this area contains 100,000 sq ft / 9,300 m² of leisure, a hotel, a cinema and some cafes and restaurants.

Templar Street

Templar Street the largest section in the development. As the largest of the three districts, Templar Street consists of 900,000 sq ft / 84,000 m² of retail stores, 260,000 sq ft / 24,154 m² John Lewis department store and over 100 high street stores.

External links

* [http://www.eastgateleeds.co.uk/ Official Website]
* [http://www.leedscivictrust.org.uk/eastgate.htm Leeds Civic Trust]

ources

* http://www.eastgateleeds.co.uk
* http://www.theretailbulletin.com/news/ms_to_anchor_eastgate_quarter_in_leeds_14-01-08/