Two housing schemes to be completed a year behind schedule

Galem House on Vincent Street on Sunbridge Road and the Canal 30 development were both due to be completed next year.

But a recent report has revealed that neither of the regeneration schemes is likely to be finished until 2025.

The two Victorian buildings have received support through the Government’s Brownfield Housing Fund – a scheme designed to kick start long stalled housing schemes.

Galem House, in the Goitside Conservation Area, had been derelict for years until it was awarded £1m in funding in January.

An application to turn the Victorian warehouse into 77 flats, expected to cost around £10m, has since been approved, and work on the building is well underway.

The funding is distributed by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and when approving the cash it was understood that the Galem House development would be completed by late March 2024.

At the Authority’s final meeting of the year earlier this month, members were told the completion date had been pushed back to March 2025.

The Canal 30 scheme would see another long empty property 28-32 Canal Road, converted to around 70 flats.

The location of the planned Canal 30 development (Image: newsquest)

Numerous planning applications to convert the building – including building new extensions to the property, have been approved over the years.

But the cost of the work to the heritage building meant work has never progressed.

The four-storey property, which is in the city's Cathedral District Conservation Area, was built in 1884 by the Fattorini family who became famous for providing jewellery to the Queen and other esteemed clients, as well as creating the design for the FA Cup.

In March, the Canal 30 project was awarded £1.3m from the Brownfield Housing Fund, with the development expected to be completed by October 2024.

But the report to WYCA this month said that completion date had now been put back to late December 2025.

The second phase of the Points Cross development in Leeds and the Sky Gardens project in Leeds South Bank have also seen their completion dates pushed back.

Explaining the delays, the report said: “The complex nature of the programme, including statutory planning amendments, due diligence and negotiations around overage, have led to minor delays to the delivery of some schemes which were previously approved.

“While timescales within the individual schemes have changed, the schemes outlined are still on track to deliver the required outputs within the overall programme time tolerance.”