Pictured above: Sean Akins, Director at
Bildurn
Bildurn Properties has started work on an exciting regeneration
project, supported by Leicester City Council, within Leicester's
Cultural Quarter, designed as a home to the city's growing creative
businesses.
The first phase of investment, in the 17,978 sq ft buildings at
68-70 Humberstone Gate in Leicester's city centre, will eventually
provide 20 workspaces for SMEs and creative industries. This
will be additional flexible workspace complementing The Depot and
Phoenix Square with whom Bildurn is working closely to assess the
unique requirements of potential occupiers.
The property has been vacant for many years and was previously
an amusement centre and a bar/nightclub (most recently as The
Walkabout).
Nottingham based Bildurn is behind the project, the firm
specialise in urban real estate development and management across
the East Midlands. Bildurn recently completed award winning schemes
in Nottingham including The Pod, a 110,000 sqft mixed-use retail,
commercial and hotel development which brought back to life a
derelict area within the city centre.
Leicester was named as the UK's joint second most creative city
behind Manchester in its contribution to the nation's cultural
growth. The Boho index, produced by the think-tank Demos,
recognised Leicester's diversity and tolerance as helping to foster
a creative environment.
The Cultural Quarter was developed as part of Leicester City
Council's regeneration scheme of the city centre. The Quarter
is a conservation area which boasts many magnificent architectural
examples of Pre-Victorian and Victorian light industrial,
commercial and leisure buildings. These include: St. Georges
Textile Mills, Guild of the Disabled and the Odean Cinema.
Sean Akins, Director at Bildurn commented: "We are delighted to
be making the first steps in bringing these attractive buildings
back to life and are grateful for the City Council's support in
facilitating this. Major investment and interventions in Leicester
including Curve, the new Phoenix Square and The LCB Depot are great
strides in making the regeneration of this area an exciting
reality, and we believe that the workspace we will be providing
will complement this."
The Humberstone Gate project is supported by the Heritage
Economic Regeneration Scheme (HERS) promoted jointly by English
Heritage and Leicester City Council. HERS was launched in 1998 by
English Heritage; the scheme aims to promote more directed
regeneration of historic commercial and community buildings and
public open spaces in defined areas within commercial and mixed-use
spaces which are important to the local urban and rural community.
The scheme focuses on promoting community life and
prosperity, where building repairs and enhancements will help
improve local employment, new homes and workspaces to encourage
inward investment.
Cllr Gary Hunt from Leicester City Council (and emda Board
Member for Land & Development) added "The Cultural Quarter is a
key element of the City Council's vision of the future for
Leicester city centre. It's good to see regeneration activity now
taking place following in the wake of Curve and LCB Depot"
Cllr Patrick Kitterick from Leicester City Council commented
"The Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme is a joint initiative
between the City Council and English Heritage. The scheme has
helped bring back to life historic buildings in Saint George's
Conservation Area and I am pleased to see this happen with these
properties on Humberstone Gate."
Work is expected to start on the scheme later this year and
should be completed by early 2010.