LAND Securities, the group which owns and manages York's Coppergate Centre today announced that its Yorkshire property portfolio has increased to more than £550 million.

The company is also a partner in the £150 million housing-led mixed use development proposed by Hungate (York) Regeneration Ltd.

The extent of Land Securities' regional portfolio is revealed in its interim results, which show that nationally the group had a massive 89.2 per cent surge in pre-tax profits to £1.184 billion. That includes gains on disposal of assets.

This growth is partly due to the acquisition in June of Tops Estates, which saw Harrogate's Victoria Shopping Centre and The City Plaza Shopping Centre, Leeds, come into the Land Securities fold.

At the Victoria Shopping Centre, there has been a £1million programme of investment to enable the expansion of the TK Maxx operation and development of a new Mothercare store, while the Coppergate Centre in York saw the arrival of Topshop and Topman in the 38,000 sq ft unit formerly occupied by Allders.

Gerald Jennings, Yorkshire and Humber director for Land Securities said: "By being both owners and managers of our centres we remain close to our customers and can quickly respond to their trading needs in a volatile market."

Updated: 11:02 Thursday, November 17, 2005