Plans have been launched for an ambitious £¾ Billion Learning Quarter in the city of Bradford to create a thriving ecological and academic neighbourhood in the city centre.
The proposals will see the traditional academic area of the city undergo one of the greatest physical transformations of any space in the city through a unique partnership between the city’s private investors and public and educational organisations.
Centred around the University of Bradford and Bradford College, which are already implementing large scale expansion plans with an anticipated £200m investment, the quarter will provide a visionary space for creative and knowledge-based industries alongside innovative and sustainable residential developments and iconic public green spaces.
Key to the Learning Quarter will be the creation of the £100m Listerhills Student Village providing accommodation for 1,000 students with a health and dentistry centre; Beehive Mills bringing 30,000sq ft of retail and commercial space as part of a £65m scheme; the £60m New Victoria Place which will create a vibrant new public square and space for offices, apartments and eateries and the potential creation of an £80m Bradford Science Park.
These are being developed by international developers Mi7, The McGinnis Group, Langtree -Artisan with one of Northern Ireland’s leading construction and property developers, MacAleer & Rushe, also drawing up plans to develop a £50m scheme in the quarter.
Clive Wilson from Bradford University explains: “The city’s university and college are already recognised on an international scale, with the University hosting one of the top 20 business schools in Europe, attracting a growing number of learners to the city.
“Over the next 10 years, the quarter will integrate emerging proposals from new developers alongside educational resources including the Bradford Science Park and the visionary £200m expansion plans being implemented by the University and College to create a vibrant and thriving community in the city.”
Maud Marshall, Chief Executive of Bradford Centre Regeneration, adds: “The idea behind the quarter is to create a unique space that celebrates all that the city has to offer and create a real sense of place and life through the buildings and developments that are being created. We have two leading academic establishments in the city centre and businesses are realising the possibilities this offers them. The Quarter will act as a joining point bringing these different creative worlds together and linking them into the city centre.
“The Learning Quarter will encapsulate some world class public realm and link the east side of the city into the civic heart of Bradford. This is about bringing in a real sustainable and environmental focus to the regeneration as well as creating a clean and pleasant environment in which people want to come together and spend time as a community.”
The quarter comprises several existing key public and private sector-led developments including:
• Bradford University - Plans to build a 21st-century Campus anticipate £200m worth of investment. The University has also launched its ‘Ecoversity’ programme, which aims to embed the principles and practice of sustainable development across the entire institution.
• Bradford College – The ambitious extension plan is progressing well with an extensive £140m accommodation strategy with phase one building work on schedule for completion ready to welcome new learners in September 2008. A second phase involves the redevelopment of a number of existing sites to create a £120 million city centre campus.
• Listerhills Student Village A £100m mixed use development project by Cheshire-developer Mi7 Developments, backed by Abu Dhabi-based institutional investor Projenco Al Khaleej. The scheme includes a 1,000 bed sustainable student village, 80,000 sq ft office space a health and dentistry centre and a 120-bed hotel.
• Beehive Mills The McGinnis Group have already started work on site with this £65m scheme. The plans will create 517 apartments and 30,000 sq ft of retail and commercial space making it one of the biggest developments of its kind in the region. The development contributes to a ‘green corridor’, the Beckside Park, which extends westwards from the city centre along Thornton Road to the Higher Education campuses
• New Victoria Place The £60m mixed-use development will create a vibrant new public square framed by four new buildings offering premium offices, high quality affordable studios and one, two and three bedroom apartments. With a new 100-bedroom hotel and an exciting three storey café and restaurant facing the new square and the Alhambra Theatre, New Victoria Place will be a landmark in Bradford
• MacAleer & Rushe, Northern Ireland's leading construction and property developers has recently purchased a 1.25 acre site and is currently developing plans to construct an iconic development estimated to be around £50million. The scheme will comprise of mixed-use buildings with a hotel, restaurant, offices and residential.
• The Quarter also includes: A complex of former mills in Westholme Street which provide an ideal opportunity to build key housing for workers. This will stand alongside Beckside Park which will create a network of green space linking the key private developments within the existing campuses of the University and College. Orchard Square will complement the park and act as a main gateway linking the private developments of Listerhills Student Village and Beehive mills into the city centre and the civic heart.