bbc news: Bradford's City Village Phase One Wins Planning Approval
Feb. 19, 2026 ET — Bradford has cleared the way for the first phase of its City Village regeneration, with planning permission granted for a residential-led scheme that will kick off with townhouses around a new community green and pave the way for hundreds more homes and major demolition work across the city centre.
Phase One: 33 townhouses and a new community green
The approved first phase will deliver 33 modern, energy-efficient townhouses on Chain Street, arranged around a newly designed community green. The local authority says these will include a mix of two- and three-bedroom homes, each with a designated parking space, aimed at serving a range of household sizes and needs. The development package also prioritises public realm improvements and landscaping to create a people-focused neighbourhood core.
City Village is being positioned as a quality residential offer for the city centre that balances housing with retail, leisure and business uses. Early-stage plans for the Phase One townhouses include active travel links and safer road designs to encourage walking and cycling, reflecting a broader push for sustainable, health-focused neighbourhoods.
Wider regeneration: hundreds more homes and demolition timelines
Outline consent has also cleared the path for a much larger transformation across three Top of Town sites: Chain Street, the former Oastler market area and the former Kirkgate Shopping Centre. The wider scheme envisages more than 300 apartments on the southern half of the Oastler site and approximately 400 apartments at Kirkgate, alongside a further 64 two- and three-bedroom townhouses on the northern Oastler site arranged around courtyards and green spaces.
Demolition of the former Oastler Shopping Centre is expected to begin later in 2026, with the 1970s-built Kirkgate Shopping Centre slated to close later this year ahead of demolition work toward the end of 2026. Those clearances will open space for the phased build-out of apartment blocks, additional public squares and new travel and access arrangements through the city centre.
Funding, partners and next steps
The regeneration partnership has selected a Bradford-based affordable housing provider as the preferred funding partner to deliver the first tranche of homes for sale and rent, subject to final legal agreements. A detailed planning application for Phase Two is expected to be submitted later in 2026, which will set out the next sequence of housing blocks, public realm and supporting infrastructure.
Local leadership framed the approval as a pivotal moment in the city’s long-term plan to grow and diversify its centre. Officials emphasise the scheme will set a new standard for urban living in Bradford by delivering energy-efficient homes alongside new public spaces and transport connections. The masterplan also highlights the retention and support of existing independent traders while introducing fresh opportunities for retail, leisure and business space.
Residents are set to see early community benefits from the Phase One delivery: a neighbourhood green, improved walking and cycling routes, and targeted landscaping improvements. Consultation and legal steps remain ahead, but the planning green light moves City Village from concept to construction-ready, with demolition and timelines for larger phases scheduled through the remainder of 2026 and into subsequent years.
