How Leeds's historic Victorian Cookridge Hospital has been transformed into housing

The hospital had operated in Leeds from 1869 as a Hospital for the Convalescent Poor in Leeds. However it closed in 2007 and fallen into disrepair.

Housing provider Stonewater worked with contractor Vistry Partnerships and other partners to transform the dilapidated Grade II listed building to create 30 homes.

Renamed Cookridge House, its developers want to see it alleviate the shortage of affordable housing in the Leeds area, with initial lettings made to those on the Leeds Homes register for people in housing need.

Work involved refurbishing the building, transforming it into 24 homes – five one-bedroom flats, five two-bedroom flats, five two-bedroom town houses and one four-bedroom town

house – for social rent, plus eight two-bedroom town houses for shared ownership.

An additional six two-bedroom houses were built around the original building, available for shared ownership.

The scheme also features public artwork reflecting the area and its history, including decorative metalwork by a Yorkshire artist and an information lectern telling the old hospital building’s story in words and pictures.

Two of the apprentices who worked on Cookridge House have been retained by Vistry to work on other new developments.

Chris Montague, Director of Development (North and East) at Stonewater said: “We recognise the acute need for affordable homes in Yorkshire and Cookridge House is the

first scheme Stonewater has delivered in the north utilising £1.23m funding from its strategic partnership with Homes England.

“Cookridge House is part of a thriving community created by the wider development of the old hospital site, which includes family housing, special needs education, retirement living

and elderly care accommodation.

“Having worked closely with Leeds City Council to ensure the development was carried out sympathetically and sensitively to make the most of the building’s architectural features.

"We’re proud to have delivered these modern, comfortable homes to people who need them most, whilst also boosting the local economy, helping with the area’s social and financial

recovery as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.”

Andrew Poyner, Managing Director at Vistry Partnerships (Yorkshire), said: “We are proud to have been able to bring such a landmark building back to life and provide quality, affordable homes. It has been a pleasure working with Stonewater throughout the planning and construction, and we look forward to building many more homes together in Leeds and across the wider region.”