In one of Leeds' largest company moves in 2023, Lloyds Banking Group has signed a lease with owner MEPC for 124,000 square feet of office space at 11 and 12 Wellington Place, with the bank stating one attraction is that the site is one of "most energy efficient office buildings in Yorkshire".
About the Project: Important to Lloyds Banking Group, said Sharon Doherty, its chief people and places officer, is that its new Leeds offices met its sustainability commitments. This helped the deal win Lease of the Year at the CoStar Impact Awards.
Examples of the building's environmental, social and governance criteria include triple-glazed windows, the generation of some of the electricity via 7,500-square-foot solar panels and its high in-use sustainability ratings of NABERS 5* and BREEAM Outstanding, the only building in use in the regions with both accreditations.
It also features an all-electric reversible air source heat pump system and air-cooled chillers to reduce fossil fuel use and mitigate operational carbon emissions.
What the Judges Said: "This was one of the most significant office lettings of recent years within the region and is testament to the quality environment that has been created at Wellington Place. MEPC's investment in sustainable development has set a very successful benchmark", Rob Whatmuff, head of Leeds office, industrial and logistics, Colliers said. Adam Varley, development director, Scarborough Group added: "In a really challenging year for the regional office market, especially post-pandemic, it was great to see a letting of the significance of Lloyds go on to acquire space at Wellington Place, recognising and acknowledging the ESG credentials of the building when selecting their new workplace."
They Made It Happen: Jeff Pearey, lead director, Yorkshire and Northeast, office agency, JLL; Nicholas Gibby, associate, office agency, JLL; Paul Fairhurst, head of office and director, Savills, and Alex Hailey, associate director, Northeast, office agency, CBRE, Paul Pavia, MEPC; Miles Jones, MEPC.
