Bradford Council has bought the underused Kirkgate Shopping Centre — clearing the path for a new ‘urban village’ of 1,000 homes that will transform the heart of the city.
The £15.5m deal will see Primark move from the Kirkgate Centre to become the new anchor tenant in Bradford’s state-of-the-art shopping centre, The Broadway, paving the way for the retailer to open a new and modern 55,000 Gross Square Foot (GSF) unit in the former Debenhams store.
The move will enable the council to double the size of City Village, the sustainable city centre neighbourhood that is a key step in making Bradford a world-class place to live, work and play.
Unlocking the Kirkgate Centre sites means City Village will now feature 1,000 new homes, rather than the 500 that were originally planned, and better address the chronic shortage of top-quality, modern, sustainable housing in the historic city core.
It will include a healthy and resident friendly environment with high quality public spaces, and landscaped, traffic-calmed streets.
The enlarged City Village will now lead to the redevelopment of 13 acres of premium city centre land. The site includes not only the Kirkgate Centre but also a second shopping precinct, the Oastler Centre, which will no longer be needed when the city’s flagship Darley Street Market opens in 2023.
The site is centrally located and adjoins some of the most attractive historic architecture in the city.
City Village will sit alongside other major regeneration projects such as the £22m, 4,000 seat Bradford Live events and live entertainment complex, and Muse Developments’ £35m landmark Grade ‘A’ office development, One City Park. Both are due to open next year.
As part of the transformation of the city centre, major routes — including Hall Ings, Market Street and the Jacobs Well area — will be pedestrianised, and a £17.5m cycle route created on Thornton Road.
The city is also set to see a flood of new investment and visitors after winning the race to be named UK City of Culture 2025. It is estimated that the year-long national culture showcase could bring an extra £700m into Bradford district, creating 3,000 jobs and attracting around 1.1m visitors by 2030.
By creating a thriving city centre community, the council aims not only to bring people closer to the places they work, but also to attract new independent shops, cafes, bars and businesses – creating jobs and opportunities for people across the district and beyond.
The Kirkgate Centre, on Darley Street, opened in 1976 and was described as Bradford’s “space age shopping centre”. But it has aged rapidly and the number of shops has dwindled. The council has committed to work with all the remaining occupants to relocate them to other parts of the city centre.
The City Village scheme has attracted the attention and support of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Homes England.
Bradford Council, with the support of those bodies, will now secure a private developer to take the scheme through to fruition.
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, commented: “We’re heading into a very different world post pandemic.
“Good local authorities up and down the country are using their assets and resources to shape their local economy to make them vibrant and sustainable well into the future. This is what we’re doing here in Bradford in taking on this major anchor site.”
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning, said: “Securing the Kirkgate Centre lets us build on the momentum created by Darley Street Market to really reshape Bradford city centre for the 21st Century.
“Not only does it allow us to facilitate Primark’s move to the Broadway, securing a new anchor for the centre and keeping a major retailer in the city centre, it also means we can incorporate the site into our City Village vision for the future of the Top of Town.
“We’re already showing some of what the City Village area will be like with the new market and planned works to North Parade and the surrounding area.
“With the Kirkgate and Oastler Centres as two major redevelopment sites in the same area, it’s a huge opportunity to reshape the city centre with sustainable and quality new housing, public spaces and business developments.
“With Bradford Live, One City Park and Darley Street Market just around the corner, redeveloping the Kirkgate Centre extends our pipeline of exciting regeneration projects in the city centre for years to come, providing more job opportunities for hundreds of people across the district.”
Ian Ward, General Manager at The Broadway, commented: “After working closely with the Bradford Council and Primark, we’re delighted to announce Primark will be opening a 55,000 sq ft (gross) unit in the former Debenhams store. Primark has always been popular with Bradford shoppers and I’m absolutely confident it will be a huge success in The Broadway.
“Bradford is in an exciting period of growth and economic development. The city is thriving and we’re attracting visitors from across the district to experience the wealth of culture and arts, shops and restaurants located here.
“The night time economy in the city is also prospering with a host of new restaurants and leisure facilities opening. It will be fantastic to see the results of the ongoing projects derived from the Transforming Cities Fund which strive to create an appealing public realm and to open up Well Street creating an entrance to the city, right through The Broadway.
“The City Village vision coupled with Bradford Live, One City Park and Darley Street Market marks an integral period in Bradford’s history. It will drive Bradford towards being a key tourism destination in Yorkshire as we build towards and work as a team, to deliver ahead of the City of Culture in 2025.
“The retail industry has really felt the effects of the pandemic and I’m pleased to say as we move into the second half of 2022 that we’re definitely emerging from the other side more positive than ever. The Broadway will be announcing a host of new retailers before the end of the year to further bolster the local economy.”
Kari Rodgers, UK Retail Director at Primark, said: “We are delighted to be moving into The Broadway, putting us at the heart of Bradford. The new store will put us in a prime location to give customers more of what they love — from fashion, beauty and homeware — to help people look good and feel good every day at affordable prices. We’re looking forward to getting to work on the new store and welcoming customers new and old through the doors.
Guy Dunstan, Managing Director of NEC Group Ticketing and Arenas, commented: “It will be fantastic to see the City Village project come to life, bringing with it a wealth of new opportunities for growth and showcasing Bradford’s ambitious regeneration plans.
“We are really excited to be involved within the city’s regeneration projects ourselves, as we look ahead to the opening of Bradford Live. We know these latest developments will sit well alongside our new world-class venue at the heart of the city.”
