Forshaw Group looks to add to Kirkstall Road resi

Adding to the flurry of developments on one of the main routes into Leeds centre, the developer is hoping to build 500 apartments on a vacant brownfield site on the corner with Viaduct Road.

Leeds City Council will consider a pre-application for the project at its planning meeting next week.

As it stands, Forshaw has proposed five blocks ranging from five to 12 storeys, with ground floor commercial use, landscaping, green spaces, and car parking.

The scheme would join other major developments on the thoroughfare, such as Clarion’s £100m 1,600-home Dyecoats development, Glenbrook’s £152m 618-apartment project, and Countrylarge’s proposed 100-townhouse scheme.

Forshaw noted that although 12 storeys is considered tall outside of the city centre, it would be kept to the north west corner of the site, with most of the development around five to seven storeys.

The proposed housing mix consists of 246 one-bed, 219 two-bed, and 44 three-bed apartments, totalling 509 homes.

The 3.5-acre site was previously occupied by Thyssen Krupp, who left following a flood in 2015, and has previously been approved for the development of up to 272 flats.

Permission for the former development lapsed in 2020 following a lack of progress.

Landscape architect re-form has been appointed, and the key greenspace strategy includes areas of new planting; ‘The Square’, which is a series of garden rooms alongside a flexible space for events and activities; a 2km wide ‘green link’ route from Kirkstall Road with trees, seating, and play areas; a 3km active travel route for pedestrians and cyclists; and a south east facing area of greenspace with a central lawn, seating, playground, and trees called ‘The Garden’.

In terms of design, the building will take inspiration from the sites 19th century industrial past as the Perseverance Ironworks.