Hundreds of jobs for new business park

Yorkshire Water’s sister company submitted an outline planning application to turn a vacant 16 acre site in the Aire Valley in Leeds into a 265,000 sq ft mixed use development.

The site is located off Pontefract Lane, the A63 trunk road, between the existing Cross Green Industrial Estate and the Leeds City Region (Aire Valley) Enterprise Zone.

The masterplan outlines plans for industrial and commercial space across eight buildings ranging in size from 20,000 sq ft up to 60,000 sq ft, which Keyland said reflects market demand. The proposed building plots have been sited to maximise potential occupiers’ exposure to the A63.

Keyland, based in Leeds, has been operating across Yorkshire for more than 20 years, regenerating Yorkshire Water’s redundant sites.

The team also works alongside independent landowners, corporates or regulated bodies to overcome obstacles to development on strategic sites.

Peter Garrett, managing director of Leeds-based Keyland, said: “Our proposals to regenerate this site, which is situated in one of the most strategically important locations in the Leeds City Region, reflect our continued commitment to bringing back into use underutilised land across Yorkshire to create development and employment opportunities.

“There is a responsibility with vacant sites such as this to maximise their potential and deliver sustainable development to contribute to the long-term economic prosperity of the region. The ongoing development underway in the surrounding area, along with the location within close proximity to the motorway network, indicates that a well-considered commercial and industrial scheme of this nature will prove very attractive to occupiers.”

Rupert Visick from industrial property specialists Gent Visick added: “We are delighted to be advising Keyland Developments in respect of this fantastic development site, it’s always exciting to be involved in a scheme with such prominence and potential. The significant frontage to the A63, combined with direct access onto this major arterial road will be a key aspect in its popularity. We are expecting strong interest from both the occupational and development sectors as we progress through the planning process”.

The site, which has already been allocated for employment use within the Leeds Unitary Development Plan, will be remediated as part of the proposals. Intermittent landscaping will be created between the various plots with more significant landscaping featuring towards the south eastern corner of the site.

Keyland’s design team includes Enjoy Design for masterplanning and design, planning consultants Lichfields, environmental consultants Wardell Armstrong, WSP for highways and Brooks Ecological for ecology.