Balfour Beatty assists Bradford Council in brownfield restoration site offering potential jobs and growth to the area

Bradford Council has announced that the restoration of a nine-acre brownfield site is almost complete and is now being marketed for sale. The Parry Lane Enterprise Zone site offers a single site or smaller plots which are well located for the M606.

Significant site improvements have been carried out that will boost investment and increase jobs in the area. Despite the impact of coronavirus lock downs leading to sub-contractor and material shortages, the work has been completed on time and within budget by the contractor, Balfour Beatty.

The project is the first in the district to deliver off site environmental improvements which will be required under the latest Environment Act. Planting trees, shrubs and wildflowers on a site at Douglas Road will offset the loss of biodiversity within the development site.

The green additions will improve an unmanaged area of land, provide a better environment for local residents, improve air quality, help reduce potential for flooding, muffle noise pollution and soak up carbon to reverse climate change.

The Council will use Douglas Road as a demonstration project to show developers how to follow new legal requirements to improve the environment in new developments.

The old Yorkshire Electricity Board depot was ear-marked as an Enterprise Zone in 2016 and West Yorkshire Combined Authority provided £8.5m in funding from its Growth Deal and Getting Building Fund.

The site is being marketed by joint agents Sanderson Weatherall and Eddisons. Cllr Alex Ross Shaw said, “we are delighted this new Enterprise Zone has been completed and is ready for market, especially given the challenges presented by the difficult operating conditions caused by Covid-19.

“The Parry Lane Enterprise Zone will provide much needed space for firms to invest and expand, and will boost local job opportunities. This is a great example of how brownfield sites can be redeveloped in a green and sustainable way, unleashing the potential of land which has remained vacant for many years.”

Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, said, “it’s fantastic to see how funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has helped to bring this vacant brownfield site back into use bringing investment, jobs and opportunities to Bradford.

“As we work towards a net zero carbon West Yorkshire by 2038, this project demonstrates how effective measures to absorb harmful emissions and offset any potential damage to biodiversity can be.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →