Former Yorkshire mill to be industrial hub once again with up to 100 jobs being created

Almost 7,000 square metres of industrial space will be created at the former Universal Mills site off Bradford Road just outside Keighley town centre. It will mean that the site will once again become a major industrial hub in the town – years after the mill was demolished.

The application to build 12 industrial units on the vacant site was submitted to Bradford Council by JPR Developments last summer. The development, which will also include a car park for 133 vehicles, was required to deal with the “growing need” for such units in the town – the application claimed.

In total 6,700 square metres of modern industrial space spread out over five buildings will be created on the site. The smallest unit would be 150 square metres with the largest creating 828 square metres of space. The application said the units would not be purpose built, but put on the market once the buildings were completed.

There had been no objections from the public or Keighley Town Council to the proposals, and the scheme has now been approved.

Planning officers said: “The scheme provides an employment development on a previously developed land. The layout of the proposal is acceptable and presents no concerns with regard to visual or residential amenity or highway safety or amenity.”

One condition of the approval is that five per cent of the parking spaces on the site be fitted with EV charging points once the development opens. A further five per cent should be assigned as future charging points once EV take up increases.

The development site is a short distance from another industrial site that is earmarked for a £12m redevelopment. Providence Park is a planned seven-unit industrial park on the corner of Dalton Lane and Bradford Road.

One of the units will be leased to Keighley College, and an array of solar panels will be installed on the buildings.

Plans for the development were approved in 2021, and it has since emerged that the scheme will likely be awarded funding through the Keighley Towns Fund – a £33m Government funded programme to boost Keighley.

A bid for £6.5m in funding from the Towns Fund has been made for the £12m development to progress, and work is due to start imminently and be completed next year. It is expected that, once filled, the site will create between 80 to 100 jobs.