New Illustrations Launched Reveal First Phase of Bradford’s Game-Changing ‘City Village’

Posted by Construction Industry News Magazine on 26th May 2025 -

The transformation of Bradford’s former retail heart into a vibrant new sustainable community known as ‘City Village’ has taken a further step forward with the launch of the final phase of public consultation.

Detailed plans for phase 1 of the neighbourhood were revealed today (Wednesday 21^st May) as part of Bradford Council’s three-day Bradford Showcase event at Leeds Dock, which is running alongside this year’s UKREiiF regeneration forum.

To be built across the ‘Top of Town’ and Darley Street areas, which include the Oastler, Kirkgate and Chain Street sites, the new City Village will repurpose what was historically Bradford’s commercial area. 

It will create up to 1,000 energy-efficient homes including affordable housing, as well as independent retail and leisure opportunities, business spaces and new high-quality public realm, including three new green spaces.

Three new illustrations were launched at the event which bring phase 1 of the ‘City Village’ to life. It will include:

• The creation of 33 townhouses on the Chain Street site, centred around a new community green. Featuring a mix of two and three-bedroom homes designed to suit a range of household sizes and needs.
• A further 64 two and three-bedroom townhouses on the northern Oastler site, arranged around a series of courtyards and green spaces.
• Supporting infrastructure including safer roads, landscaped public spaces and active travel routes that promote walking and cycling to help create a sustainable community with health and wellbeing at its heart.

Later phases of the neighbourhood will include a more than 300 apartments on the southern half of the Oastler site alongside approximately 400 apartments on the Kirkgate site.

The final phase of consultation launches today – inviting feedback on updated plans for the neighbourhood ahead of a planning application to be submitted in late summer. It will run until Weds 18 June. Members of the public are invited to complete a questionnaire via the online consultation www.bradfordcityvillage.com.

Bradford Council appointed ECF – the partnership between Homes England, L&G and Muse– as its development partner to deliver Bradford City Village.  The project has already secured major inward investment, including £13.2 million in-principle funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, alongside £30 million of Government funding via Homes England.

At the Bradford Showcase event it was also announced that Bradford-based affordable housing provider, Incommunities, has been selected as ECF’s preferred funding partner to deliver the first phase of townhouses for sale and rent at Bradford City Village, subject to a final legal agreement.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council said: “Over the last 18 months, ECF has been working with Bradford Council to develop the masterplan, following extensive public consultation and engagement with hundreds of local people. This is the final phase of consultation ahead of our planning application and we are encouraging everyone to get involved.

“City Village shows the direction of the city centre for the next ten years – quality housing, more public green spaces and a shift away from an over-reliance on traditional retail that has now changed forever.

“Our vision is to create a healthy, sustainable and community-friendly neighbourhood. While housing is at the heart of these plans, City Village will also create opportunities for new independent retail, cafes, bars and business spaces.”

Simon Dew, development director at ECF, explained: “Bradford is investing at an unprecedented level in its transport and public infrastructure, as well as major capital developments, to drive future success and realise its full economic potential.

“City Village is about responding to these new opportunities by balancing retail against other uses that will bring more people into the city centre. These latest images reveal how that might look, so we’re really keen to hear what people think about them before the masterplan is finalised. We are looking forward to progressing the designs and working with Incommunities, alongside the project team, to deliver phase 1.”

Rachael Dennis, Chief Executive at Incommunities added: “This is a flagship project for our city, and we’re proud to be part of it, delivering the first phase as new affordable homes. As Bradford’s largest housing provider and an organisation deeply rooted in the district, no one is more invested in seeing the city centre thrive than we are. City Village is about creating a place where people feel they belong – a vibrant, inclusive neighbourhood at the heart of Bradford. It’s the start of an important journey, and we’re looking forward to working closely with our partners, ECF, the council, and the community to help bring the vision to life as part of Bradford’s wider regeneration story.”

Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said: “The City Village will be a gamechanger, attracting more jobs, investment and businesses to Bradford, and with proposals for a new through station and a tram connecting Bradford and Leeds, we can turbocharge our economy. Bradford is bustling with culture and opportunity, and this regeneration will ensure we continue to create a brighter region that works for all.”

A detailed planning application for phase 1 of ‘City Village’ will be submitted late summer, alongside an outline planning application for the rest of the site. Demolition of the Oastler site is expected to begin in the autumn, ahead of work beginning on phase 1 in spring 2026.

The wider project team for Bradford City Village includes 5plus Architects, re-form Landscape Architecture, Avison Young, Cushman & Wakefield and Turner & Townsend.