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Image Credit CP Partners
Whitbread has received planning consent to convert Verity House in Leeds into a 131-room Premier Inn hotel, with construction set to begin in early 2026.
Whitbread has obtained planning approval to transform Verity House, a vacant office building in the South Bank area of Leeds city centre, into a 131-room Premier Inn hotel. The company purchased the 44,000-square-foot building in October 2024 and submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council in May 2025.
The development was given the green light following the signing of a section 106 agreement between Whitbread and the Council. Construction is scheduled to commence in early 2026, with completion expected by spring 2027.
The new hotel will be located near Leeds Railway Station and Granary Wharf, enhancing accessibility for guests. Upon opening, it will join three existing Premier Inn locations in Leeds city centre. Additionally, a 143-bedroom Premier Inn is under contract at Leeds Harewood Quarter as part of a Council-led redevelopment.
The Verity House Premier Inn will feature the latest ‘Standard’ and ‘Premier Plus’ room formats. Whitbread projects that the hotel will operate at a mature occupancy rate of over 80%, attracting more than 57,000 guests annually. This is anticipated to generate approximately £5.5 million in visitor expenditure each year, with half expected to be spent in Leeds city centre.
This project is part of Whitbread’s broader strategy to expand its hotel network in northern England. The company is actively seeking more than 20 new locations in the region, alongside 15 potential sites in Scotland and Northern Ireland, aiming for a long-term target of 125,000 rooms across the UK and Ireland.
In line with Whitbread’s sustainability goals, all newly built or converted hotels will be powered by renewable electricity from 2025. The company also aims to reduce water consumption per sleeper by 20% by 2030. Verity House will be the first Premier Inn in Leeds City Centre located south of the River Aire.
