Jobs hope as development site sold

Blenheim Developments has bought the 14-acre development site on Kirkstall Road in Leeds for around £3m. 

The site used to be the home of the Yorkshire Chemical Works which closed in January 2006.

The site was later cleared and it has remained open land.

The site has planning permission for 1.5m sq ft of office space, residential units and a green urban park.

Sheffield-based Peter Burrows, the managing director of Blenheim Developments, said: “Kirkstall Road has an existing planning consent for some amazing development opportunities, although we will be looking to make alterations to some aspects of the original master-plan.

“The property market has changed dramatically over the last few years and the plans, which were first submitted back in 2006 just don’t make commercial sense in this current market.”

Blenheim said the site could be turned into office or residential space.

The Yorkshire Dyeworks and Chemical Company was founded there in 1900. The company went into liquidation due to competition from the Asian market.

In August 2006, the site was acquired for £15m by developer Gladedale Group. Gladedale has now sold the site to Blenheim.