The transformation of the South Bank area – the former industrial parts of Holbeck and Hunslet – is taking shape with more schemes coming forward.
A new University Technical College is set to move into part of the Braime engineering site on Hunslet Road. The college, which is backed by the University of Leeds and manufacturers including Kodak and Siemens, is currently seeking Listed Buildings Consent to convert part of the Braime building adjacent to Sayner Road. The remainder of the building will continue to be used by Braime as a warehouse and distribution centre.
UTC Leeds, as it will be known, plans to open in September 2016 taking 105 Year 10 and 120 Year 12 students. The college will eventually cater for 600 14-19 year olds students and will specialise in advanced manufacturing and engineering providing a mix of vocational and academic courses.
It joins a cluster of educational establishments in the area with Leeds City College Printworks Campus and Leeds College of Building facing each other across Hunslet Road. They are soon to be joined by the Ruth Gorse Academy which will be built on the former Yorkshire Chemicals site on Black Bull Street and is also due to open in September 2016.
As previously reported on South Leeds Life, the iconic Tower Works site in Holbeck is soon to be transformed into apartments, shops and offices. And this week seven sites in the area, referred to as the ‘Holbeck Portfolio’ were bought by developers the Commercial Estates Group (CEG) for £9.6m from RBS. CEG, the developers behind the Kirkstall Forge site, promise to bring forward plans for these sites in the coming months.
Elsewhere, CITU who developed the Greenhouse in Beeston, have plans for a eco-village of 300 houses on the north bank of the river at Low Fold, close to the Hunslet flyover. They have been asked to fund a footbridge over the river to improve pedestrian and cycle routes through the South Bank area.
