Trinity Leeds

{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2018|small=y}}

File:Trinity Leeds opening day (Taken by Flickr user 21st March 2013) 001.jpg

File:Trinity Leeds tower crane - the view from Boar Lane (30th October 2010).jpg in front]]

Since around 2000 plans were made to redevelop the adjacent Trinity and Burton Arcades, a largely run down shopping precinct which opened in 1973, into a modern shopping centre using designs by the late Enric Miralles under the name Trinity Quarter. However this had been long delayed because of arguments regarding planning between the then owners of both centres Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), owner of the Trinity and Burton arcades, and Topps Estates, owner of the Leeds Shopping Plaza.

However, following the sale of Topps Estates to Land Securities in 2003, and the change in ownership of the Trinity and Burton Arcades to Caddick Group, and the granting of a compulsory purchase order by Leeds City Council, the process of constructing the centre could commence.

The development was a combination of several older developments including Leeds Shopping Plaza, which has been rebranded and remodelled as Trinity West. It was built as an independent shopping centre surrounded by the streets of Bond Street, Albion Street, Boar Lane and Lower Basinghall Street. It opened in 1977 as the Bond Street Centre on a site formerly occupied by Victorian-era buildings and was refurbished in 1996 which included giving the centre its present name, expanding the trading area to {{convert|25000|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}.

The new-build part of Trinity, Trinity East, was formerly occupied by the Trinity & Burton Arcades, a 1970s development which included both open air and covered parts.

File:Trinity Leeds roof 31 August 2018 1.jpg

Extensive preparation works were required, including the demolition of the previous development and frontages on Briggate, Albion Street and Boar Lane. Site clearance was complete by 2008. Development was delayed due to the Great Recession, but recommenced in 2010. Contractor Laing O'Rourke estimates that over 1000 construction workers worked on Trinity Leeds.

Initial construction started at Trinity East, where four tower cranes were used in its construction. Redevelopment of the Topshop/Topman store commenced in February 2012 after Topman and Topshop moved to temporary stores elsewhere in the city and was completed in October 2012.

A {{convert|3716|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} glass dome is the centrepiece of Trinity East. Designed by SKM Anthony Hunts, its 1902 glass panels rise {{convert|30.5|m|ft|abbr=on}} above street level.{{cite web|last=Cooper |first=Ben |url=http://www.retail-week.com/property/trinity-leeds-a-new-heart-of-the-city/5035979.article |title=Trinity Leeds: A new heart of the city |publisher=Retail Week |date=25 April 2012 |accessdate=23 March 2013}} The dome is built on a steel framework, and during construction was supported on an immense scaffold structure, which when removed in early 2012 resulted in the dome sinking 20mm.{{cite web|last=Bains |first=Juliette |url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/exclusive-tour-of-trinity-leeds-retail-and-leisure-development-1-4395339 |title=Exclusive tour of Trinity Leeds retail and leisure development |publisher=Yorkshire Evening Post |date=29 March 2012 |accessdate=23 March 2013}} The dome is large enough to fit the Leeds Corn Exchange under it.{{cite news|last=Baron |first=John |url=https://www.theguardian.com/leeds/2010/sep/20/leeds-centre-set-for-1-25-billion-transformation-over-five-years |title=Leeds centre set for £1.25 billion transformation over five years |work=The Guardian |date=20 September 2010 |accessdate=23 March 2013 |location=London}}

Major works started at Trinity West in 2011 to remodel the centre's interior. Boar Lane Bus Point closed to create a new pavement and external remodelling involved removing cladding. A tower crane facilitated upward extensions to accommodate the flagship Primark store. Proposals were revealed for a media screen on the exterior of Trinity West.{{cite web|url=http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/yorkshire/68646-/index.html |title=Trinity Leeds to feature city's first advertising screen |publisher=Insider Media |date=4 April 2012 |accessdate=23 March 2013}}

{{multiple image|perrow = 2|total_width=260

| image1 = Horse sculpture in the Trinity Centre, Leeds (Taken by Flickr user 12th April 2013).jpg

| image2 = Owl in Trinity Leeds 31 August 2018 1.jpg

| image3 = Sculpture outside the Trinity Centre, Leeds (Taken by Flickr user 12th April 2013).jpg

| footer = Equus Altus - a packhorse carrying cloth; The Owl; The Briggate Minerva, goddess of weaving and commerce

}}

Equus Altus, a sculpture of a packhorse carrying a roll of cloth, dominates the central court, and The Briggate Minerva, stands outside the centre's entrance on Briggate. Both are by Scottish sculptor Andy Scott. Packhorses were used to transport goods, in particular cloth, to and from Leeds: the artist said "My thoughts behind it were about the history of Leeds and the wool and textile industries and how horses were used as the HGV at the time".{{cite news|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/trinity-leeds-welcomes-two-tonnes-of-art-sculpture-1-5503692|title=Trinity Leeds welcomes two tonnes of art sculpture|last=Bains|first=Juliette|date=18 March 2013|work=Yorkshire Evening Post|accessdate=9 May 2013}} Minerva was the Roman goddess of both commerce and weaving, making her appropriate to this site in a city with a strong heritage of textiles, and wears an owl mask, one of the symbols of the city.{{cite web|url=http://www.leedsartgallery.co.uk/review/listings/l0045.php|title=Equus Altus - Andy Scott|last=Gormally|first=Seán|date=22 March 2013|publisher=Leeds Art Gallery Online|accessdate=9 May 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.leedsartgallery.co.uk/review/listings/l0046.php|title=The Briggate Minerva - Andy Scott|last=Gormally|first=Seán|date=22 March 2013|publisher=Leeds Art Gallery Online|accessdate=9 May 2013|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233838/http://www.leedsartgallery.co.uk/review/listings/l0046.php|url-status=dead}} Equus Altus is {{convert|5|m|ft}} tall, weighs 2 tonnes, and stands on a {{convert|10|m|ft}} steel column. The two statues were installed in March 2013, having taken 10 months to create.{{cite web|url=http://www.scottsculptures.co.uk/theworks/trinity-leeds|title=Trinity Leeds|year=2013|publisher=Andy Scott|accessdate=9 May 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130627001526/http://www.scottsculptures.co.uk/theworks/trinity-leeds|archivedate=27 June 2013|df=dmy-all}}

Perched near the roof (above Carluccio's) is a gilded bronze statue of an owl by Antonia Stowe.{{cite web |url=http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?resourceIdentifier=2015323_175419 |title=The Trinity Leeds Owl |author= |date= |website=www.leodis.net |publisher=Leeds City Council |access-date=15 July 2018 |quote=}}

Trinity plans to have a programme of permanent and public art in the centre.{{cite web |url=http://www.trinityleeds.com/community-culture/art-programme |title=Public Art |publisher=Trinity Leeds |accessdate=23 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214013159/http://www.trinityleeds.com/community-culture/art-programme |archivedate=14 February 2013 |df=dmy-all }} Projects undertaken, include the 2.8 Days Later film project in November 2011 run in conjunction with local production companies and Everyman Cinemas.{{cite web|url=http://www.landsecuritiesretail.com/about-us/case-studies/Film-makers-of-the-future-compete-in-28-days-film-challenge |title=Film makers of the future compete in 2.8 days film challenge |publisher=Land Securities |date= |accessdate=23 March 2013}}

The former NCP Boar Lane car park was refurbished and re-branded as the Trinity car park.

• Cabot Circus, a similar development in Bristol also by Chapman Taylor.

{{Reflist|2}}

{{commons category|Trinity Quarter, Leeds}}

• {{Official website|http://www.trinityleeds.com/}}

{{Land Securities}}

{{Shopping centres in Yorkshire and the Humber}}

Category:Shopping centres in Leeds

Category:Shopping malls established in 2013