Kirkstall Valley Development Trust has received £200,000 boost for their plans to transform the derelict Abbey Mills, a former mill building into community-led social housing.
Awarded by Homes England, funding will enable the required surveying, architect and financial work to test viability. At the same time, KVDT will bring people together who are interested in living there, to shape the plans for the largely empty Grade II Listed building, currently owned by Leeds City Council.
Chris Hill, from KVDT, said:
“Subject to due diligence, Homes England have awarded us the money to do all the surveying, architect and financial work to see if the scheme is viable. At the same time we will bring people together who are interested in living there to shape the plans.”
Kirkstall Valley Development Trust is a community benefit society set up in 2016 to develop a learning and leisure park over 200 acres of inner Leeds and to refurbish Abbey Mills for housing and community use. The Trust hopes to create a community hub and heritage centre alongside social housing. A full business plan exists for the community hub and KVDT are in discussion with the Leeds City Council about terms of an asset transfer.