Man with a magic touch helping to build a bright future for the Civic Quarter of Wakefield

Jonathan loves nothing better than imagining “new things coming from old places” and with Rushbond’s latest off-shoot, Fallowdale Homes, he is making it happen in Wakefield’s Civic Quarter.

The project, a venture in partnership with Wakefield Council, is transforming the Civic Quarter and its beautiful historic buildings and derelict empty spaces, car parks and land into a vibrant new place to live in the heart of “Wakey”.

The development, named the Wood Street Collection, was designed by architectural practice ShedKM with Keepsake Construction and Mulberry Construction Group as the lead contractors on the scheme.

It launches to the public on Saturday, October 26, and will include properties to buy and to rent. Homes to buy will start at £275,000.

The new residential community will include revitalised public spaces. The former police station, built in 1908, will become 33 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, available to rent.

In terms of layout and materials used on the above, Jonathan says that great care is being taken as he has learned that old buildings have their own soul and they tell you if they are happy and they let you know if they are not.

There will also be 20 new three-bedroom townhouses to buy at Gill’s Yard, which are being built on the former council-owned car park. They are due for completion by summer 2025.

The delivery of Gills Mews, two and three-storey townhouses on the site of the former Rishworth Street car park, are due to complete late 2025. There will also be a community garden, public art and landscaping to create green space.

Rushbond also owns the former Crown Court building and the former Coroners Court on Northgate, both of which will also be redeveloped.

“It’s placemaking, piggy backing off beautiful buildings,” says Jonathan, who adds that engaging with Wakefield Council on the project has been enjoyable. It’s a surprise statement as that cannot be said of all developer/local authority dealings.

“Their teams are good and have been very keen and supportive and the council is keen to see regeneration,” he explains.

He and his own team took location into account when doing their due diligence before taking on the project, and the Civic Quarter got ten out of ten.

That is partly because Wakefield has been attracting buyers and renters from Leeds thanks to property prices that are less expensive than in the big city.

It also boasts good schools and easy access to the M1, M62. Train journeys to Leeds take just less than 20 minutes from Wakefield’s central station and you can hop on a train to London from there too.

Another lure is the city’s impressive cultural offering, which includes The Hepworth, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and a vibrant arts scene.

Even more kudos will be attached to the Wakefield area via Rushbond’s upcoming development of Bretton Hall, set in the grounds of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. It will become The Groucho Bretton and will be the first Groucho private members club to open outside London.

Due to open in 2026, it will run on a membership basis as the London Groucho does but there will be 40 bedrooms available to non-members, who will receive the benefits of membership throughout their stay.

The announcement of the Groucho Wakefield combo in an area many regard as “proper Yorkshire” where proper Yorkshire is spoken, came as a surprise to some but Jonathan sees it as a perfect match and he is rarely wrong.

Visitors from afar may well decide to stay in “Wakey” forever, especially now that contemporary city living will be available.

Jonathan believes buyers for the Wood Street Collection will attract a mix of young and older buyers and he refers to a phenomenon that Property Post has previously written about in that it’s common for those born and bred in Wakefield who have moved away for work to come back “home” because there is no place like home and it is clear that there is no place like Wakefield.

The first homes at the Wood Street Collection are available to buy off plan and will be ready from summer 2025. Contact Fiona Scott, tel: 01924 375245 or [email protected]