Plans have been submitted for the first phase of City Village, a major regeneration project that will transform Bradford's former commercial core into a new sustainable city centre neighbourhood.

The scheme, led by ECF – a partnership between Homes England, Legal & General and Muse – in collaboration with Bradford Council, will be built across the 'Top of Town' area, covering the Oastler, Kirkgate and Chain Street sites.

City Village is set to deliver up to 1,000 energy-efficient homes, including affordable housing, alongside new opportunities for retail, leisure and business. The project will also feature high-quality public spaces, with three landscaped green areas designed to complement recent improvements made through the award-winning Bradford City Centre Walking and Cycling Improvement Scheme.

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A detailed planning application for Phase One has been lodged, alongside an outline application for the wider development. Phase One proposals include:

• 33 townhouses on the Chain Street site, centred around a new community green.

• 64 additional townhouses on the northern Oastler site, arranged around courtyards and green spaces.

• Supporting infrastructure including safer roads, landscaped areas and active travel routes to encourage walking and cycling.

The homes will be a mix of two and three-bedroom properties, each with designated parking spaces. Bradford-based housing provider Incommunities has been named as the preferred funding partner to deliver the first phase, subject to final legal agreements.

Later stages of the project will add more than 700 apartments across the Oastler and Kirkgate sites, creating a vibrant neighbourhood that blends housing with public spaces, business opportunities and leisure.

City Village is part of Bradford's wider regeneration programme, supported by £13.2 million in-principle funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and £30 million from Homes England. The development follows major recent investments in the city centre, including the opening of Darley Street Market and the redevelopment of Bradford Live music venue, ahead of Bradford becoming UK City of Culture 2025.

If approved, demolition work on the Oastler site is expected to begin later this year, with construction of Phase One scheduled to start in spring 2026.

Image: 5Plus Architects