Scheme on vacant city centre site gets green light

Plans to build a residential development on a vacant brownfield site a mile from Leeds city centre have been given the green light.

The two-acre site is on the corner of Burley Road and Willow Road and is flanked by Kirkstall Road and Kirkstall Viaduct.

It will be developed by Leeds construction company The Broadley Group, which owns the site, and has been designed by Brewster Bye Architects.

The development will comprise 110, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, spread across two, five storey buildings.

Both buildings will be surrounded by landscaped grounds, communal gardens and will adjoin a large expanse of public South facing green space that fronts onto Kirkstall Road. The development will also offer parking and cycle storage.

Work is due to start in October 2019.

The site was previously home to Burley Liberal Club and a former bank building, which more recently was occupied by Broadley’s decorating division.

Both buildings have now been demolished after sitting empty in recent years.

Paul Manku, development director from Broadley, said: “We’re delighted to secure planning permission for this development which will enable us to give the site a new lease of life as a high-quality, modern apartment development.

“It’s also in a popular location, just a mile from the city centre and benefiting from good public transport links with a wide range of local amenities, as well as the Cardigan Fields entertainment complex, on the doorstep. All this combines to make it an ideal location for a residential development that will be a highly sought-after place to live and we’re looking forward to starting work on it.”

Chris Austin, managing director at Brewster Bye Architects, added: “This site had stood empty for many years and was crying out for investment and a change of use. We’ve designed the entire scheme to be sensitive to the surrounding area, with lots of green space and the mature tree lines that currently border the site will be maintained to give it a natural, leafy boundary.

“It’s also on a busy gateway into Leeds city centre and will significantly enhance the local streetscape on Willow Road and Burley Road, as well as benefiting the surrounding community as a whole.”