Prototype homes to be tested at Kirkstall Forge

0
1869
kirkstall forge riverfront

Work will start this week on building two prototype homes at the £400 million Kirkstall Forge development.

Work will finish in late summer when members of the design team will stay in the fully furnished three and five-bed homes, rigorously testing elements of the home including kitchens and bathrooms.

Following their feedback, improvements will be made to finesse the final product before construction begins on the first phase of 112 contemporary homes which have been designed by Stirling Prize winner Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

Offering a unique style of architecture resembling the local stone of the old forge building and Kirkstall Abbey, the houses will offer open-plan living opening out onto gardens and terraces across different floors, with many roof verandas providing fantastic views of the valley.

kirkstall forge mill race terrace

Aisling Ramshaw, head of sales and marketing – Kirkstall Forge, said:

“These prototypes are important as they will help to ensure every detail of the design has been considered and tested.

“How many times do you walk into a home and think why has the architect put that there? Often what looks great on plan can be very different in terms of the practical use of a space. By living in these homes our team will put all aspects of the design thinking to the test.”

Developer CEG aims to deliver 1,050 new homes, 300,000 sq ft of offices and 100,000 sq ft of retail, leisure and community space at the former industrial site.

A dedicated Kirkstall Forge Life team has already been established and runs regular health and fitness events, social activities, walking and biking clubs, as well as managing cycle and scooter hire and encouraging the 1,000 people who already work at the site to travel sustainably using the new on-site railway station, car share scheme, EV charging points and tailored travel guide service.

James Shimwell, head of residential development at Kirkstall Forge, said:

“This innovative way of delivering prototype housing follows the attention to detail we paid to the new railway station and the award-winning first office development. Kirkstall Forge is designed to bring to life a connected community for business, residents and visitors.”

_______________________

While you’re here…

Producing your daily dose of West Leeds Dispatch comes at a cost!

There’s the hosting of the website you’re reading now, running our popular e-mail newsletter, membership of independent press regulator Impress, attending summer events, paying for equipment etc etc.

We need at least £200 a month just to break even – that’s money currently coming out of the pockets of dedicated volunteers who are passionate about what’s happening in our communities, connecting you with local groups and organisations as well as holding decision-makers to account and championing local issues.

And all that’s BEFORE we even think about paying something for people’s time – for instance, our editor puts in more than 24 hours a week in his ‘spare’ time to ensure The Dispatch publishes daily.

To put it bluntly, after nearly four years of daily publishing, we are not sustainable!

And we need YOUR help to continue …

For the cost of less than a couple of cups of coffee you can help support local community news and continue to give our communities a voice by taking out a subscription for just £4 per month (that’s just a pound a week).

As a thanks you’ll get your name on a roll of honour on our website. More importantly you will be enabling us to keep bringing you the news that matters about your neighbourhood.

Achieving a bedrock of supporters will give us a firm financial footing and help us plan for the future.

Supporting us couldn’t be easier…

Just follow this link.

Over to you …



LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.