The first phase of the Providence Park industrial site in Keighley town centre has been completed.
The £12 million redevelopment of the former Universal Mills site, on the corner of Dalton Lane Bradford Road, began in April 2023 and has received £6.5 million funding through the Government’s Keighley Towns Fund.
It has been owned by Keighley developer Peter Rock for more than 50 years, and was formerly the base of his business Modern Equipment & Foundry Engineering Ltd.
The new site will stay true to those engineering roots because as well as housing industrial units, part of it will be used by Keighley College as a new Manufacturing, Engineering and Future Technologies Hub. The hub will be used to provide students with academic and practical experience, and T-level qualifications.
Providence Park will be home to five buildings which will house up to 23 industrial units – the smallest of which is 150 square metres with the largest at 828 square metres. Part of the original mill building has also been retained and sympathetically converted to a unit suitable for a café or other retail use, under scheme architect Bridget Hansford (Peter’s daughter).
The extensive work has involved the demolition of previous buildings and structures; full site remediation; installation of surface water management system; and the construction of units to let.
Peter, now aged 96, visited the 7,000 sq m site most days to monitor progress and his grandson Tom Rock, who has led the redevelopment with Peter’s son Bernard and other grandson Andy, explained: “The site required significant remediation works prior to any re-development in part due to old cellars underground, from the terraced housing that was on the site before my grandfather’s period of ownership.
“The cost of these initial works was always a significant barrier to re-development, which the Keighley Towns Fund grant funding helped us to address.
“Interestingly ‘Providence Place’ was one of the former residential streets located there, which led to the name of the site. The history of the site is fascinating. Part of it was previously under the Prince Smith Estate, which was such a prominent part of the Keighley economy, it warranted a royal visit by King George & Queen Mary in 1918.
“It’s gratifying to know that this development will once again see the site becoming a hub of business and employment in the town.
“We are grateful to the team at Bradford Council for their support and see this development as a real success of the Keighley Towns Fund.
“The specific challenges of the site, coupled with the economic realities of development in towns such as Keighley would have meant that a regeneration of this scale was not viable without the towns fund’s support, and as multi-generational, proud Keighlians we are delighted to deliver the project, a development which will deliver long term economic benefit to the town.”
Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Planning, Regeneration and Transport Alex Ross-Shaw said: “Demand for employment and high-quality commercial sites such as this is huge across Keighley and the whole of the Aire Valley, so this development is much needed and welcomed.
“We believe between 80 to 100 jobs will be created across the site, which is a real boost during the current economic climate, and we anticipate local businesses will be keen to link up with the hub to provide apprenticeships.
“We are so proud of the work that has been undertaken here and the training and employment legacy it will have for generations to come.”
Tim Rogers, chair of the Keighley Towns Fund, said: “We are really proud of what has been achieved at Providence Park and the opportunities it will create for generations to come.
“This is another very exciting commercial development for Keighley, and an incredible skills and training opportunity for the town through the creation of the Manufacturing, Engineering and Future Technologies Hub in partnership with Keighley College.”
The second phase of work – which includes the completion of the college unit – is due to be completed by early 2025.
