Burberry: Yorkshire-based luxury clothing factory set for major revamp

Wakefield Council has granted planning permission for the upgrade of the company’s manufacturing site at Coronation Mills.

Around 635 employees are based at the site on the Albion Street, close to the town centre.

A report said the revamp “seeks to improve and renew the existing building fabric and enhance the daily working environment.”

A planning application submitted by the international firm includes a range of improvements both inside and outside the premises.

A refurbishment of the existing manufacturing facility includes replacing the roof and installing new lighting.

New internal staircases and a lift are to be installed and windows replaced.

The scheme also includes an upgrade to the car park and the construction of a new security gatehouse.

New landscaping is also planned across the site.

A council planning officer’s report said: “The existing facility has an aged appearance which has a negative impact on the overall character of the area, particularly owing to the informal parking arrangements for staff and visitors.

“The proposed development constitutes a full refurbishment of the factory, parking and servicing areas.

“The car park would formalise parking arrangements for staff and visitors with allocated parking spaces and circulation space.”

The fashion house has made its most iconic products in Castleford for over 100 years.

The brand’s future in the town was thrown into doubt around a decade ago when the company said it was considering moving to a site in Leeds.

The firm then announced in 2019 that it had scrapped the proposal and would instead invest in its sites in Castleford and Keighley.