Introducing homes to the heart of Bradford

CGI image of a row of light-coloured, modern houses bordered by trees and shrubs, viewed from across the road.
5PLUS ARCHITECTS, RE-FORM & DEMATERIAL

ECF

The challenge

In partnership with Bradford Council, ECF (formerly English Cities Fund) was appointed to unlock the city centre’s potential by developing attractive new homes – alongside independent leisure and retail opportunities – in place of former shopping centres. Bradford City Village is a pivotal project that will redefine the heart of the city as somewhere to live and visit, not just to work and shop.

As the project gets underway, our goal is to bring this vision to life in the hearts and minds of residents and investors. Winning public approval and stakeholder backing is the first step to realising the project’s success.

The work

The public needed to be informed about the proposed development and inspired to support it. With this in mind, we’ve established a social media presence for Bradford City Village, sharing the key messages about the project and monitoring responses.

To inform our socials strategy, we supported the wider team’s public consultation programme, while developing relationships with local authorities to align their priorities around the project. By focusing on each new milestone, we’ve created opportunities for positive press coverage across local, regional and national publications.

CGI image of a row of light-coloured, modern houses, with trees and greenery in front of them, and people walking and cycling in the foreground.
5PLUS ARCHITECTS, RE-FORM & DEMATERIAL
CGI aerial image of an urban – but leafy – landscape, with rows of modern houses in the centre.
5PLUS ARCHITECTS, RE-FORM & DEMATERIAL

The impact

To date, online public sentiment for Bradford City Village is strongly positive at 80%. We succeeded in kick-starting anticipation around the development through consistent coverage in the local press and stand-out, national features such as on the BBC News. As for socials, the Bradford City Village channels have achieved continuous growth and engagement. The project has become a well-known and hotly anticipated prospect for the city in the wake of its year as UK City of Culture.

A collage of national and regional media coverage about major regeneration plans in Bradford city centre. Headlines from BBC News, The Yorkshire Post, Architects’ Journal, and UKREiiF describe proposals for Bradford City Village, including public consultation on plans to build around 1,000 new homes, heritage restoration supported by a £2m grant, and what is described as the city’s most ambitious regeneration project in generations. Images show architectural renderings of new residential blocks, public squares with people walking, and aerial views of Bradford city centre, emphasising large-scale urban renewal and future-focused development.

Relevant work

Forge Island, Rotherham

From industrial past to community destination

Citu

A zero-carbon paradigm shift