Royal Armouries redevelopment moves towards 2027 planning submission

Construction work on a new base for the financial institution is due to start next month, with the move to Bond Court set for late 2028.

The council is seeking a new occupier for the historic building, which currently operates as a six-bedroom, 32-bed youth hostel. 

Sheffield is entering a new phase of growth, with rising prime rents, evolving occupier requirements, and a significant pipeline of regeneration and innovation-led opportunities. In this roundtable, hosted by Sheffield City Council, leaders from across the public and private sectors explore how the city is building on recent momentum to accelerate investment and delivery.

Having signed the deal in June last year, the law firm has moved into the Isaacs Building, taking space for 150 desks and 16 meeting rooms across the seven-storey Edwardian building on Charles Street.

The deal comes as Leeds continues to attract financial and professional services occupiers, strengthening the city centre’s Northern Square Mile – a key regional hub for the sector.

The latest figures from Savills show that office take-up reached 179,900 sq ft in Q2 2026 – more than double the figure recorded during the same period last year.

The government agency is leading the refurbishment of Princes Exchange, a seven-storey building next to Leeds City station which it acquired in 2024, with headline rents of £55 per sq ft anticipated. 

The first phase of development at the £2bn scheme has received detailed planning approval from the City of York Council, paving the way for more than 1,000 homes combined with a commercial district, hotel, and a brand-new western station entrance.

Federated Hermes MEPC, the asset manager and developer behind the urban quarter in Leeds, is undertaking a major refurbishment of the seven-storey office building, with completion scheduled for autumn 2027.