Consent secured for first phase of residential development at £400m scheme

Leeds City Council’s Plans Panel has granted planning permission for CEG’s Reserved Matters (detailed) application for the first phase of residential development at the £400m Kirkstall Forge development.

The proposals will provide 213 homes, including 77 three to five-bed houses, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

Just north of the Aire river, two apartment buildings are also proposed, each set over nine floors with upper floors set back.

Designed by residential architecture firm, Cartwright Pickard, they will provide 136 studios to three-bed apartments with 14,531 sq ft of leisure and retail space on the ground floor.

They will be set around amenity space – a public plaza and pocket park, which can be used for events and activities. Work is expected to start later this year.

This new application leaves housing design unchanged, but by removing four of the homes this has enabled the two apartment buildings to be redesigned. Slightly taller, with upper floors set back to minimise the visual effect, more apartments are offered.

James Shimwell, head of residential development at CEG said: “The redesigned apartments mean we can deliver tailored build for rent apartments, managed by the Forge Life on-site team, which will bring new residents onto site very quickly.

“By including shops, leisure facilities and food and drink outlets on the ground floor, set around a public plaza and pocket park for pop up events, outdoor screenings and exercise classes, it will bring even more vitality to this exciting development.”

Peter Cartwright, Founding director at Cartwright Pickard, said: “Using materials which complement the wider masterplan, we have sought to celebrate the industrial heritage of the Forge using high-quality materials that will weather well as part of a vibrant development.”

 A team of Yorkshire consultants supported the reserved matters application, which also included Lichfields, Pierre Angulaire, Richard Boothroyd Associates, Curtins, Bryan G Hall and Hoare Lea.

Michael Hepburn, senior director at Lichfields, said: “It’s great to see another phase of this exciting development progress towards construction.

“It’s particularly pleasing to gain this support for the first phase of residential development at Kirkstall Forge as the vision for this mixed-use scheme takes shape.”

The 57-acre site is already home to the Number One Kirkstall Forge offices, Butler’s deli restaurant, a new railway station and two prototype homes.

CEG is fast progressing the detailed design and marketing of the next phase of 200,000 sq ft of workspace with ground floor amenities now that Reserved Matters (detailed) planning permission was granted towards the end of last year.

The ground floor will include independent fitness space, grocery shopping and further independent foot and drink outlets to complement the deli restaurant.

Ultimately, Kirkstall Forge will provide up to 1,450 new homes, 300,000 sq ft of offices and 100,000 sq ft of retail, leisure and community space.