Winvic Construction Ltd has secured a contract to construct a landmark £130m Build-to-Rent (BTR) project located in Leeds city centre. The main contractor, which specialises in designing and executing public and private sector civil engineering and construction projects, received the appointment after Gateway 2 approval was granted.

The project is being delivered on behalf of Lisbon Street Developments Limited, which is a joint venture between Helios Real Estate and Marrico Asset Management. Construction is scheduled to begin in the final quarter of this year, with the plans encompassing 578 apartments divided between two residential structures. This project follows Winvic's recent work on the very same site, where it finished a 548-bed Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) scheme six months ago.

Situated on Lisbon Street, the scheme features a 33-storey tower and a 22-storey tower, both positioned over a shared basement and a single-storey podium. Two commercial units and resident amenity spaces will be housed within the podium to create a mixed-use environment. The basement will offer car parking spaces, ancillary facilities, and direct entry points into both towers. Additionally, east-facing balconies and a roof terrace have been integrated into the design to enhance outdoor living space and optimise views.

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Sustainability targets for the project include achieving a Home Quality Mark (HQM) 3.5 star certification. To lower operational carbon emissions and supply sustainable power during occupancy, the buildings will utilise decentralised Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP). On-site renewable electricity will be produced via photovoltaic (PV) systems to decrease grid dependency, while enhanced glazing specifications and building fabric will lower cooling and heating demands to boost energy performance.

Furthermore, Winvic has worked alongside Leeds City Council to formulate a Social Value Plan. The initiative intends to deliver measurable benefits to the local area, including work experience placements, new employment opportunities, volunteering initiatives, educational engagement, and apprenticeships.

The contract expands Winvic's footprint in the BTR market, with its Multi-Room division having completed 15,000 beds across the UK to date.

Mark Jones, Managing Director for Multi-Room at Winvic, said: "Working in partnership with Marrico Asset Management, we look forward to delivering a high-quality residential scheme that will contribute to Leeds' continued growth and provide homes in a thriving city centre location.

"Following our recent work on the same site, this development is a great example of our capability. The scheme's scale, complexity and prominent city centre location make it an exciting addition to our portfolio."

Richard Bland, Partner at Marrico Asset Management Limited said: "Gateway 2 approval moves the scheme into delivery. We appointed Winvic following their work on the PBSA scheme on the same site, which gave us confidence in their ability to deliver here. The BTR towers are the third scheme underway on the former International Swimming Pool site, following student scheme and the aparthotel now under construction. Together with Helios, we are focused on bringing forward 578 well-built rental homes in a central Leeds location"