The next chapter

For a start whilst being right in the heart of the city when you are down at Granary Wharf enjoying canal side open spaces, taking in views across the Leeds Liverpool Canal towards the historic towers of Holbeck, there is a real sense of peace and tranquillity. In such a setting it’s easy to forget how close you are to the heart of a bustling, vibrant city like Leeds.

What could be better? To be located centrally at the heart of where all the action is, but without the usual downside – suffering the noise and hubbub that usually accompanies a central location.

Within the tranquillity however, the large waterside public spaces at Granary Wharf will be the focal point of activity and animation in a quality, car-free setting. We designed the spaces before we started thinking about any buildings. This ensured we created a variety of experiences to allow enjoyment of the unique waterfront setting, whilst also being able to accommodate festivals (on the land and water), markets and cultural events in addition to simply providing a great setting for restaurants, eateries, shops and small business outlets. In short – not your typical high street.

Graving docks – a form of dry dock – have been restored within the main public square to provide a facility for boaters to undertake inspections – a critical task when buying or selling a boat or simply when checking on its ongoing condition. These activities are an important part of the waterway and we hope that visitors to the City will enjoy being able to see this natural part of waterway life from the heart of a city centre public square.

Moorings for boat visitors and boaters facilities help make sure that water based visitors are genuinely well catered for and the proposed waterbus from Granary Wharf to the Royal Armouries further reinforces the connections with the waterfront.

Commercial boats also have a home here within the other dock in the main square and we look forward to seeing what interesting commercial uses can find a home within a boat in the very near future – a sandwich shop? A card / gift store? Or maybe an art gallery?

And at the centre of the whole place, a brand new hotel. A 333 bed City Inn, with great facilities including meeting rooms (for when sitting out by the water for a meeting is a little too distracting), superb ground floor restaurants and bar and – on the 14th floor - a sky bar giving super views across Holbeck and the south of the City.

If you are going to live somewhere, isn't it better to live in a place that has a sense of history, a sense of where it is going and a sense of community - both within itself and through its connections to the rest of the city?

In simple terms, - it's called character (something we all appreciated but can't make up) and we think that Granary Wharf has a real and tangible character that will ensure people who live, work and relax here will continue to see this as a very special part of Leeds.