OUR AIM

Kirkstall Valley Development Trust is one of Leeds most ambitious community driven projects.

We set up a Trust, owned and run by its local members, in 2016. We are working with Leeds City Council to create:

• A community space at Abbey Mills, meanwhile building a strong community hub on Kirkstall Valley Retail Park
• Community supported agriculture at Kirkstall Valley Farm
• A Sustainability Demonstrator  at St Anns Mill teaching practical and high level skills for sustainable living, focusing on water, energy, food and housing.
• Environmental education particularly aimed at young people
• Energy, growing and nature projects
• On site power sourced from the river and solar panels
• New parkland and wildlife areas
• Improved access, with cycle and walk ways
• Workspace for sympathetic small businesses
• A public café / bar, events and exhibition space

OUR APPROACH

The aspiration to create a new Kirkstall Valley Park and linked green spaces down the river Aire has been around for many years, fostered by the Kirkstall Valley Park Board, but to date the space south of the Kirkstall Bridge shopping Centre remains largely inaccessible and underused.

We want to protect that green space, but open it up for people to enjoy. At the same time, we want to bring the semi derelict Abbey Mills (LS5 3HP) into use as a community hub and housing and to create an educational and visitor centre at St Anns Mill.

At the same time we have taken the lease on Burley Mills farmland (LS4 2QD), to develop a community supported agriculture business, surrounded by social and educational projects (see tab).

Above – Kirkstall Valley Park site, reaching from Morrisons / St Anns Mill in the north west, following Kirkstall Rd to Kirkstall Valley Farm and Cardigan Fields retail park in the far distance

Above – St Anns Mill