Sowerby Bridge occupies a pivotal location between the Calder River and the Calder and Hebble Canal in Yorkshire.

The former industrial site offers the opportunity to create a new mixed use neighbourhood for 360 homes, offices, retail and café space, studios and workshop accommodation and large public green spaces

The concept for the project is to create a variety of character areas expressing diversity in urban form, land use and architecture, which will be key to form successful places, encourage activity and foster a sense of ownership and community.

The new housing will form a residential ‘island’ structured around a principle neighbourhood street linking a series of residential courts that give identity to each cluster of dwellings. Apartment buildings act as markers at the entrance to each court, while linear landscapes provide amenity to residents and create direct connections across the island between the river and canal.

Housing typologies have been specifically designed to respond to the different nature of this site. With boundary conditions to both river and canal, a variety of family units have been designed to have frontages to both water edges and into the site.

The masterplan includes significant improvement to the immediate infrastructure with a new bridge across the river, new river and canal side paths and a new linear ecology park.

The development has the potential to make a considerable contribution to improving the quality, offer and overall image of Sowerby Bridge. It will attract new residents and workers into the area and act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the area.