First phase of £400m development completes

Number One Kirkstall Forge, the first phase of CEG’s flagship £400m development, has reached practical completion.

Delivered by Wates Construction, the building forms part of the wider 57-acre Kirkstall Forge scheme.

Connected to Leeds city centre by a new railway station, Kirkstall Forge will become home to a thriving mixed-use community. The 110,000 sq. ft. development is already almost 70% pre-let and will become Zenith’s new headquarters, with CEG also relocating to the building later this year.

When complete, Kirkstall Forge will comprise 1,500 new homes and 400,000 sq. ft. of offices, retail, leisure and community space.

With an 800-year history, Kirkstall Forge is the oldest continually industrialised site in the UK, the largest brownfield site currently being redeveloped in Leeds and the most ambitious scheme in the city’s development pipeline.

Wates’ work on the project also included establishing the Forging Futures Campus on site in January 2017 in collaboration with CEG, Leeds College of Building and Leeds City Council.

Forging Futures provides opportunities for those not in education or training, including local unemployed people and ex-offenders, to gain practical skills and secure employment.

Paul Dodsworth, business unit director of Wates Construction in the North East & Yorkshire, said:  “It’s immensely rewarding to see Number One Kirkstall Forge reach practical completion. It’s been a fantastic project to work on and our team has been honoured to deliver such a significant development for Yorkshire. Building on our success at Kirkstall Forge and providing a lasting legacy is our unique Forging Futures Campus where we’re kick-starting new construction careers for the people of Leeds and the surrounding areas.”