The first few pictures have been revealed of a pioneering new building at the heart of a £250m eco-friendly development on the fringes of Leeds city centre.
Sustainable urban developer Citu is currently in the process of building the Climate Innovation District - the UK’s first low-carbon urban neighbourhood.
The huge site in Hunslet - which forms part of the South Bank redevelopment - contains some of the most airtight and energy efficient homes in the world, with the first few residents moving in earlier this year.
And now the next phase of the project is edging closer, with plans drawn up for a groundbreaking new building which will benefit the entire community.
Proposals have been drawn up to build a nursery, primary school, care home and 72 apartments all under one roof.
The huge four-storey 'intergenerational' building will cover an area of 120,000 square feet in total and be based around a central courtyard garden.
The nursery will be built on the ground floor, while a two-form entry primary school big enough for 420 pupils has also been incorporated into the plans.
A 70-room care home, 72 apartments and a café will also form part of the central community hub, which will be aimed at reducing social isolation among the neighbourhood's elderly population.
The detailed planning application needs formal approval before work can begin, but it could be completed as soon as September 2022 if things run smoothly.
The new community hub will be built to the same standards as the other buildings, with tight-fitting timber frames used for the main structure to increase energy efficiency.
Once finished, the Climate Innovation District will include seven acres of green spaces and parks, a 200-metre-long boulevard and 800 homes.
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