Yorkshire Water and sister company Keyland Developments Ltd have submitted a planning application to Bradford City Council to transform redundant land around the Esholt waste water treatment works in Bradford into one of the country’s leading sustainable industrial and residential developments.

The 32 acre Esholt Waste Water Treatment Works site sits close to both Leeds and Bradford. As a result of advances in technology, the operational footprint of the site has reduced significantly over recent years, leaving large areas of formerly operational land redundant and unused.

Keyland is the property trading business of the Kelda Group and a sister company of Yorkshire Water and has been operating across Yorkshire for over 20 years. The team of property and planning professionals, specialises in unlocking development potential of underutilised land. Keyland’s core strength lies in resolving highly complex barriers to development for landowners across the north of England to facilitate the regeneration of strategic sites.

Planning permission is being sought to develop about 1.08 million sq ft of work spaces on the site. A mix of industries would be accommodated, with a particular focus on bio-tech businesses and other industries that can make the most of heat, power and water generated by the treatment works to maximise sustainability.

This element of the scheme is designed to address a shortage of employment space in the surrounding area for growing Bradford businesses or relocating companies, with neighbouring business parks operating at full or close to capacity.

The masterplan also includes an element of sustainable housing, with 150 homes, ranging from one-bedroom maisonettes to five-bedroom detached houses, proposed.

Industrial development to focus on industries that can make the most of heat, power and water from Esholt

The employment element of the masterplan details the creation of 100,000m2 of quality, sustainable work spaces to accommodate a mix of industry, with a particular focus on bio-tech businesses and other industries that can make the most of heat, power and water generated by the treatment works to maximise sustainabilty.

The sustainable housing element of the masterplan has been led by the drive to create an exemplar residential development which will be one of the most sustainable in the UK. 

Showing how homes and businesses can reduce their water consumption through innovative design will be a key focus - Yorkshire Water hopes this will influence how developments in future can contribute to meeting the challenge of supplying a growing region with the water it needs, without impacting the environment.

Luke Axe, Planning Manager at Keyland Developments Ltd, said:

“We have always known that Esholt has the potential to be one of the most significant developments in the UK, so to be at the stage where we are submitting our plans for this innovative sustainable development is incredibly exciting.

“We have worked extremely hard with our valued project team over the last few months, undertaking extensive public consultations and stakeholder engagement to ensure that the plans will enable Esholt to reach its potential and deliver far reaching social, environmental and economic benefits. This development demonstrates how sustainability can drive design and we are looking forward to being able to deliver this ambitious project.”

The Esholt team comprises of; Tate Harmer, a leading UK firm of architects on sustainability and natural environments, sustainability consultants 3 ADAPT and pioneering independent integrated planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore.

The Esholt project team has a collective wealth of experience delivering exceptional projects across the UK including The Eden Project Cornwall, the Natural History Museum London, the Dyson Campus Malmesbury, City Fields Wakefield and Museum of Scouting Gillwell to name a few.