Planning application submitted for 289 homes plus offices and riverside park next to Saltaire World Heritage Site

Plans to transform a vacant office block on the edge of the Saltaire World Heritage Site in Saltaire, Shipley, into a residential quarter and riverside park could be a step closer to reality following the submission of a major planning application to Bradford Council. Niche developer Artisan Real Estate has unveiled proposals for the 11-acre site, sandwiched between the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which was formerly home to an HMRC office complex which closed in October 2021.Artisan’s plans for its Saltire Riverside development include 289 new homes, more than 5,000 sq. ft. of small commercial office space designed for flexible working and a café facing on to a new ‘pocket’ park and piazza.
Sharon Dale
By Sharon Dale
Published 31st Oct 2022, 09:57 BST
Updated 31st Oct 2022, 11:11 BST

A sizeable riverside park will link the development to the River Aire, providing woodland, grasslands and lawns to act as a natural flood water storage area. Walkways provide direct access to Saltaire Rail Station and the canal towpath, with easy pedestrian and cycle links to nearby Shipley.

The proposal, developed with Yorkshire-based architects Axis Architecture, is the result of a more than 12-months of design planning, underpinned by a comprehensive public consultation programme - including two design workshops with local stakeholders and three major public events.

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Artisan Real Estate has a track record in delivering complex residential and mixed-use regeneration projects in sensitive urban and city-centre environments, including the award-winning New Waverley in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town and the transformation of the historic Everard’s Printworks in Bristol’s Old City.

A computer generated image of what Saltaire Riverside would look like if planning permission is givenA computer generated image of what Saltaire Riverside would look like if planning permission is given
A computer generated image of what Saltaire Riverside would look like if planning permission is given

James Bulmer, Development Director for Leeds-based Artisan North said: “Our proposals for Saltire Riverside herald another significant addition to Artisan’s enviable list of transformational regeneration projects in highly desirable regional locations across the UK.

“Progressing such a large development on the very edge of a UNESCO World Heritage site brings its own set of challenges and responsibilities, and we have taken time to understand and reflect the unique historical contexts of the Salts Mill location. We have spent considerable time working closely with local residents and groups to ensure our plans meet the need, wants and demands of this unique location.”

He added: “We want this to be a modern interpretation of neighbouring Saltaire, bringing much needed sustainable family housing in an accessible, well connected and environmentally responsible setting, with the added advantage of low energy costs and exemplarily green credentials. This is 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. Our proposals will bring excitement, interest and investment to the area and provide a natural, contemporary extension of the existing Saltaire footprint.”

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Artisan’s proposed scheme will remove the existing five-storey HMRC building which consists of two large hexagonal office blocks, with a start on site forecast for 2023, dependent on necessary planning permissions. Prior to the HMRC development, the site was used as occasional storage shed area, allotments and grazing land for canal ponies.

A closer look at what Saltaire Riverside would look like if planning permission is givenA closer look at what Saltaire Riverside would look like if planning permission is given
A closer look at what Saltaire Riverside would look like if planning permission is given

Saltaire village is considered an outstanding example of mid-19th century philanthropic paternalism and had a profound influence on developments in industrial social welfare and urban planning in the United Kingdom and beyond.

For more information on Artisan’s Saltire Riverside development, visit: www.saltaireriverside.co.uk

Related topics:SaltaireHMRCBradford Council