Revival of former treatment works set to create 200 jobs in Huddersfield

AROUND 200 jobs could be created on the sites of two former water treatment works in Yorkshire,
Peter Garrett of Keyland DevelopmentsPeter Garrett of Keyland Developments
Peter Garrett of Keyland Developments

Instead of being left to decay, Keyland Development wants to work with partners to turn disused land belonging to Yorkshire Water into places to live and work.

Keyland, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister- company to Yorkshire Water, has submitted two outline planning applications to Kirklees Council to transform the sites in Bradley and Colne Bridge, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire into developments with 75,000 sq ft of employment space.

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It’s part of Keyland’s strategy to bring Yorkshire Water’s disused sites back into use to boost the region’s economy.

Both proposed developments are on sites which lie within the regeneration area defined in the Kirklees Urban Development Plan (UDP) and collectively have the potential to generate 200 jobs, according to Keyland.

Keyland plans to transform the redundant Colne Bridge Treatment Works site into 40,000 sq ft of industrial accommodation over nine units which would be suitable for small to medium-sized businesses.

A Keyland spokesman said: “The buildings would be designed to reflect the local architectural landscape and bring back into use a vacant site to benefit the local economy.”

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Keyland also plans to redevelop the disused Bradley Treatment Works site and turn it into a self-contained 35,000 sq ft industrial park, with a range of units.

The site sits between new industrial developments to the south west and north east, with Bradley Junction Industrial Estate to the north.

“Having undertaken research into the available employment space within the locality, Keyland’s findings indicate that nearby business parks are operating at full capacity, which is limiting the potential for local and regionally-based business to expand,” the Keyland spokesman added.

“The proposed business space at both sites is intended to address the regional shortage of new employment accommodation and ensure that local and regional businesses stay and grow within the area.”

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Peter Garrett, the managing director of Keyland Developments Ltd, said; “We are committed to finding viable ways to bring back into use redundant sites across the region, and transform them into schemes which will have a positive impact on the local economic landscape.

“We are aware of the requirement for modern employment space within the Kirklees area and, as both sites lie within the regeneration area outlined in the Kirklees UDP, it seems a natural step to create employment space for the retention and growth of local and regional businesses.”

Mr Garrett said he was confident the proposals for Colne Bridge and Bradley will help Kirklees to achieve its plans for economic regeneration.

Luke Axe, Keyland’s planning manager, said Keyland hoped to place the sites on the market after receiving planning permission.

He said the types of commercial activity on the sites will be dictated by the market.

Mr Axe confirmed that Keyland has a pipeline of other sites that could be suitable for re-development.