Plan for 1,100 factory site homes set for approval

By Gbam Godwin On Sep 26, 2025

Plan for 1,100 factory site homes set for approval.

Plans to create over 1,100 dwellings on the site of a Victorian former textiles plant in Leicester are expected to be approved.

Developers seek to remove the majority of the Corah factory, located off Burleys Way, and replace it with flats, including 18-story buildings, bars, restaurants, and a hotel.

Leicester City Council planning officers have recommended that the idea be approved by councillors when they meet on Wednesday.

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Applicants CityRegen Leicester Ltd and Galliford Try Investments Ltd claim that the majority of the land has grown derelict since the plant closed in the 1990s, and that the scheme will rejuvenate the neighbourhood.

However, more than 70 people have expressed opposition to the plan, including fears about the loss of most of the historic plant, which goes back to 1865.

Google The front of the former Corah factory — The developers said the site had become symbolic of the city’s industrial decline

Under the proposal, the facade of the factory’s Old Textile Building would be kept, with a six-storey flats building constructed behind it.

Two factory chimneys would also be retained as part of the development.

In documents lodged with the council, the developers said: “The redevelopment of the Corah site represents an unparalleled opportunity to regenerate a key post-industrial site in Leicester.

“Corah is the site of the former Corah Factory, which was once one of the main employers in the city.

“Since its closure in the 1990s, it has become symbolic of Leicester’s industrial decline.

“Whilst some of the old factory buildings have been let out to small businesses, the majority of the site sits derelict.”

Maber An artist's impression shows how a bridge over the can coul look

Businesses in the complex have already told the BBC that if the proposal is approved, they will be forced to “move on”. Among the opponents is the Leicester Civic Society, which stated in a statement to the council:

“While it is clear that the site requires redevelopment, the current plans will not achieve this in a sensitive manner.” “The former factory is possibly the most important landmark still remaining that marks Leicester’s industrial heritage, especially in regards to the hosiery and knitted garment trade.”

The group also expressed worries about the height of planned buildings, particularly the 18-story tower proposed for the junction of Burleys Way and St John’s Street.

The Council for British Archaeology, the Twentieth Century Society, and Historic structures & Places all oppose the demolition of the majority of former industrial structures.

The proposals also feature a new footbridge connecting the Corah site’s rear to Abbey Park on the other side of the Grand Union Canal, as well as a multi-story car park with 239 places.

The city council stated that the project will be a “comprehensive regeneration of a substantial and part-derelict” land.

It stated that the dwellings would make a significant contribution to the city’s housing shortage while also providing new walking and cycling pathways connecting the city centre to Abbey Park.

Maber An artist's impression shows how the retained chimneys could look