Montague Place, Leeds: Historic 49-acre Burton's factory site to be transformed into sustainable neighbourhood
Plans have been submitted for an urban regeneration scheme that would see the "world's largest clothing factory" in Leeds transformed into hundreds of new homes.
Lodged by housebuilder Avant Homes, the plans include transforming the 49-acre former Burton’s clothing factory site in Burmantofts into a "thriving" new sustainable community.
Named Montague Place after Sir Montague Burton, founder of what at at its height was the world's largest clothing factory, the initial phase of the development off Torre Road will see 302 energy-efficient homes whilst retaining the site's cultural significance.
The proposed plans include three- and four-storey one- and two-bedroom apartments, semi-detached and terraced homes ranging from one to four bedrooms, as well as a number of affordable homes for private rent.
In addition to the homes, the plans include public green space to enable active lifestyles on the location of the site's original bowling green and gardens. The existing woodland will be retained and managed.
In addition to homes, 8.5 acres of land are earmarked for employment which aimed at creating a range of opportunities for local residents.
Burton's factory was founded in 1921, and was Leeds' largest employer, employing 10,000 people and producing 30,000 suits per week.
Clothing production ceased in the 1980s, and in recent years, the site has hosted a range of independent businesses.
To reflect the site's rich past, Avant Homes said it has developed a heritage strategy which will see landmark features retained including art deco motifs and Burton signage panels.
Additionally, the housebuilder’s design code for Montague Place will guide the choice of materials for the proposed properties, ensuring they reflect those currently present on the site.
Avant Homes' Timothy Pegg said: “Our planning application for Montague Place not only delivers much needed new homes but also encapsulates our vision to transform and regenerate a fascinating place of historic and social importance to Leeds.
“By meeting different housing needs, our multi-tenure approach and commitment to building energy efficient homes supports diverse communities and provides opportunities for local people.
“Montague Place has sustainability at its core from the designs of our homes, through to the benefits provided by the public realm.
“Our ambition is for the development to be an exemplar of urban regeneration and to deliver a thriving new sustainable community for Leeds. We now look forward to Leeds City Council considering our plans.”
Plans to redevelop the site into homes were first unveiled in November 2024 and also includes a men's fashion archive.
Before submitting the official application, Avant Homes met with Leeds Civic Trust to discuss preserving key architectural and historical element during redevelopment.
Martin Hamilton, director of the Trust, told the Yorkshire Evening Post at the time: "The frontage [on Hudson Road] is what people are familiar with and have seen photographs of, but the rest of the site is warehouse and factory-type buildings behind fence and walls.
"We want to see as much of the Hudson Road frontage retained as possible, along with another building on the other end of the site with a similar tile signage. You can't preserve everything as it was 100 years ago but we need to make sure that the spirit of the place lives on."