Scarborough secures approval for Cinema at Thorpe Park Leeds

The news comes as site owner and developer Scarborough Group International (SGI) progresses apace with development after appointing GMI Construction to deliver phase two which includes a 1.35 million sq. ft. mixed-use expansion to the existing 800,000 sq. ft. business park.

Scarborough agreed a deal earlier this year to partner with Legal and General Capital which has invested a �162 million stake to enable the delivery.

Preparation work is already underway for the shopping and leisure facility as well as the first part of nearly 900,000 sq. ft. of new office accommodation. Land at Thorpe Park Leeds is also allocated for 300 new homes and a 113-acre public park with sports facilities.

The new planning consent allows for a flexible cinema provision situated at first floor level, above the planned retail and leisure outlets. It will have capacity for a multi-screen installation, including IMAX.

Mark Jackson of Scarborough Group International, commented: �We are delighted to secure planning consent for the cinema which complements our plans for a new and vibrant leisure option for the growing community in and around Thorpe Park Leeds. We are already in detailed discussions with four major cinema operators interested in the site which will be well served by a number of nationally recognised retails and leisure operators, soon to be announced.

�Thorpe Park Leeds is founded on four key values; Community, Health and Wellbeing, Connection and Enterprise. We are pleased to bring forward phase two which is transformational for east Leeds, creating a true sense of place where business can thrive in a well-supported environment.�

With the letting of much of the retail and leisure accommodation already under negotiation, SGI has committed to bring forward delivery of nearly 40,000 sq. ft. of prime office accommodation, on a speculative basis, which is due for delivery by Summer 2016. A little less than 900,000 sq. ft. of further office space is available for pre-letting.

Thorpe Park Leeds will also deliver the first section of the �East Leeds Orbital Road�, a key piece of infrastructure connecting north and east Leeds to Junction 46 of the M1. This road will unlock land for the construction of 7,000 new homes in the East Leeds area, land that is either already allocated in the Local Plan or which is �brownfield�.

The development is expected to create over 13,000 jobs, including nearly 4000 local employment opportunities for the Leeds city region.

Thorpe Park Leeds is already an important business location for both Leeds and the North of England, located just six miles east of Leeds City Centre, with its own dedicated access off junction 46 of the M1. Among the 60 occupiers of the existing office space are IBM, National Grid, GE Capital, Vinci, BAM and United Utilities.