Former Leeds International Pool To Become High Rise Towers

Former Leeds International Pool To Become High Rise Towers

After over a decade of deliberation and proposals, the former site of the unique and controversial Leeds International Pool is set to become four prominent city centre towers as part of a project worth nearly £300m.

The Lisbon Square project, developed in partnership by Marrico Asset Management and Helios Real Estate, has seen the start date of its construction brought forward to July, after receiving full planning permission last year and closing a deal with the US rental firm Cortland Group.

The first phase of the project will involve the construction of two of the four towers, which in total will provide 600 build-to-rent flats to the city centre, with an additional 550 student flats, hotels and offices being worked on by scaffolders in Leeds in subsequent phases.

The development scheme would also develop pedestrian and cycleway links that are already based around the site, with landscaping being a key focus of the project as a whole.

The development of the site would bring to an end the long period of uncertainty to the site after the closure of the Leeds International Pool in 2007.

One of the most controversial buildings in the history of the city, John Poulson’s brutalist design divided opinion, with the bulging blocky features, inverted roof and the unique design of the fitness centre being popular with some and utterly detested by others.

Mr Poulson himself became controversial after being convicted of fraud in 1974, and there were suspicions about the building every time needed to be closed for repairs or alterations as if the design had not been carefully considered.

Regardless, it became a popular and unique landmark of the city, but in 2007 would be closed and replaced with the much larger and more fully-featured John Charles Centre for Sport.

In 2009 the building was demolished after two years of vandalism made it unusable.

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