Why homebuyers cannot resist the appeal of Saltaire and its many charms

“One of the lovely things about the Living Advent Calendar is that anyone can take part so it really adds to the community spirit of the event”, says Maria Thelwell, community engagement manager for arts charity Saltaire Inspired, organiser of the event.

“Saltaire is such a lovely community. It’s got a positive feel about it, with a very inspiring energy that attracts creative people,” says yoga teacher Heather Gregg, the owner of Heather Yoga, who was born on the outskirts of Saltaire and returned a decade ago after living in London and travelling.

She rents, and says it’s around £850 per calendar month for a two-bedroom terrace in the village.

Heather adds: “They’ve set up independent businesses such as cafes and vintage shops, and that’s attracted more people to do the same."

“There’s been period dramas filmed here. When Netflix did The English Game , a 2020 mini-series developed by Julian Fellowes about the Victorian history of football], that was amazing. You’d walk through the village and all the actors, all the extras, were in period costume. It really was like stepping back in time.

“It’s a really interesting, there’s so much history. You get that when you come here, it’s so well-preserved. Sir Titus Salt was very forward-thinking, concerned about the wellbeing of the mill workers. And to me, that spirit is still very much there, very present.”

Named as one of the Best Places to Live by the Sunday Times in 2020, and praised for its community spirit and convenience as “a base for the working folk of West Yorkshire” Saltaire may have its roots in the past – Sir Titus started building in the 1850s – but it is certainly forward-thinking.

Just outside the village itself, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 as an outstanding example of a model town, the 11-acre site of the former HMRC office in Shipley, sandwiched between the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, is being redeveloped into homes, office space and a riverside park by Leeds-based urban regeneration specialist Artisan Real Estate.

Planning approval was granted by Bradford City Council in September this year for 289 new homes, more than 5,000 sq. ft. of commercial office space designed for flexible working, and a café facing on to a new pocket park and piazza, with pedestrian links providing direct access to Saltaire train station and the canal towpath.

James Bulmer, Artisan North’s development director, describes Saltaire Riverside as a “hugely exciting development that will spectacularly open up a large riverside area that has effectively been closed to the public since the 1970s when the HMRC complex was built.”

Work is expected to start on site in early 2024, marking at two years of painstaking progress, as Artisan North has worked in collaboration with Sheffield-based firm Axis Architecture to draw up plans for family homes and apartments that reflect and respect the heritage of the nearby Victorian architecture.

Nearly every building in Saltaire is listed. Back in the 1980s, when the West Yorkshire textile industry fell into decline, empty mill buildings were taken over by young entrepreneurs at the forefront of the digital revolution, who snapped up the cheap terraced housing.

Some of the most coveted central streets include George Street, Caroline Street, Titus Street and Victoria Road, where houses tend to be larger than average, built typically for mill managers, sometimes with gardens rather than yards.

Mill buildings have also been converted into apartments; Dacre, Son & Hartley, is selling a two-bedroom top floor apartment, in mill conversion Riverside Court, a short walk from the centre of the village, bars, restaurants, shops and Saltaire railway station, for £170,000.

Salts Mill, the former powerhouse, is now home to The 1853 Gallery, housing a permanent collection of the works of Bradford-born artist David Hockney, Salts Diner and cool retailers including homewares store The Home, The Bookshop and several cycling/outdoor gear specialists.

“The railway is always a draw and attracts commuters to Leeds,” says Steven Potts, area director for Saltaire at Dacre, Son and Hartley estate agents. “But Saltaire is also within touching distance of beautiful countryside. So people do move here to be close to the outdoors.

“There’s quite an array of properties, they all sell very well. People find that once they’re in, they want to stay within the BD18 area and the village.”

Apartments range from £130,000 to £250,000, with typical two-bedders costing £135,000 to £175,000. At the higher end, there is a three-bedroom house for £425,000.

“The market has been surprisingly good this year across Saltaire, and Shipley, despite the economic climate,” says Potts. “People come to the area, admire its ambience and they fall in love with it.”