Keepmoat advances £80m brownfield regeneration on Leicester’s waterside

Keepmoat is progressing the final phases of an £80 million regeneration scheme in Leicester, transforming 17 acres of former industrial land into a canal-side residential neighbourhood.

The Waterside project is being delivered in partnership with Leicester City Council and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026.

Located between Wolsey Island and the city centre, the brownfield site was previously occupied by disused textile factories.

The scheme includes 350 new homes, flood mitigation infrastructure, biodiversity improvements, and upgraded pedestrian and cycling routes linking the site to central Leicester.

The current phase focuses on delivering a new neighbourhood in Frog Island, part of a broader construction-led regeneration strategy.

Works to date have included land remediation, demolition of obsolete industrial structures, and site servicing to prepare for vertical build.

Adam Sharpe, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat East Midlands, said:
“We’re thrilled to be continuing delivery under our strategic partnership model to unlock this vibrant brownfield site.

“At Keepmoat we’re proud to transform and breathe new life into areas in need of regeneration. By delivering quality, sustainable homes in Leicester, we’re able to support a vibrant new community in an area people want to live – close to employment hubs and amenities.”

Keepmoat

The development also includes infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving access to the Grand Union Canal and River Soar, with efforts to enhance biodiversity and public space along the waterside.

City Mayor Peter Soulsby said:
“Leicester’s Waterside has for a long time had immense potential for regeneration. Bringing that redevelopment forward for the benefit of the city has been a long-held ambition of mine. These new homes are a key part of that and have been a vital catalyst for the surrounding Waterside developments.

“We’ve worked closely with Keepmoat as our development partners to help transform Waterside into a vibrant, attractive neighbourhood in which to live and work.”

The Waterside scheme is one of Leicester’s largest housing-led regeneration programmes and is being delivered under Keepmoat’s strategic focus on unlocking complex brownfield sites through public-private collaboration.