Property firm unveils city housing revamp blueprint

A property lettings firm has unveiled a blueprint to revamp a city’s residential scene.

Pickard Properties aims to transform larger student homes in Leeds’ Headingley area into “high-quality apartments for professionals and families”.

Bosses say the move will “help create a more balanced mix of homes and broaden the range” of residents.

The Leeds-based property developer and landlord plans to convert an initial four student houses in multiple occupation after completing a £450,000 project to turn a nine-bedroom student base into three apartments.

Pickard Properties owns and manages about 300 residential sites across Leeds, including student houses in multiple occupation in Headingley and its surrounding areas.

Director Miles Pickard said: “Headingley has been an incredibly successful student community for many years and students remain a hugely important part of what makes the area what it is.

“They support its shops, cafés, restaurants and pubs, and have helped create the vibrant and diverse local economy Headingley enjoys today.

“Our strategy isn’t about moving away from that.

“There is demand from professionals and families who want the amenities and community Headingley offers, and we believe some larger houses in multiple occupation can be adapted to provide exactly the type of homes they are looking for.”

Miles said the business will take a “property-by-property approach” focused on larger bases, with “suitable” houses in multiple occupation converted into a smaller number of individual apartments.

He added: “The way people want to live is evolving.

“Simply returning a large house in multiple occupation to a single family house isn’t necessarily the answer.

“Some of these properties require considerable investment and are better suited to being sensitively converted into a small number of high-quality homes.”

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