100 jobs to be created after Heaton site is sold to community organisation

Liverpool based Greensville Trust has purchased the 14 acre site in Heaton that was, until recently, the University of Bradford's business school.

The group is planning to create a range of facilities at the site, including a nursery, business centre, hotel and restaurant.

The site, near Lister Park, includes the Heaton Mount and Emm Lane buildings, and was put on the market after the school was moved to the University's main city centre campus in 2019.

Greensville Trust, an Islamic community group, runs educational and outreach programmes, including GCSE booster classes to help young people raise attainment levels, food banks, outreach to prisons (including deradicalisation projects) and employment workshops.

The Trust intends to convert the site for mixed purposes, including community use, adult education, primary school and nursery care, as well as leisure and function spaces.

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Trust chairman Mohammed Amer Siddiq said they hoped to create around 100 jobs in the coming years.

He added: “Greensville Trust is truly humbled to be granted the responsibility for preserving and further enhancing this prestigious and historic site, as we firmly believe that it will present us with a plethora of opportunities to further our charitable and educational endeavours.

“It is our intention to become an integral part of the wider Bradford community and to maintain positive links with the University. We intend to be a good neighbour, partner and anchor organisation within the city of Bradford and by working alongside communities, partners organisations from other faiths and non-faith, public, private and community/voluntary organisations contribute towards nurturing a healthy, happy, culturally and economically vibrant Bradford.

“This exciting acquisition will deliver a range of new amenities which will include education, nursery, skills development, business centre providing valuable business space, hotel, spa and fitness facility, wedding hall, conference centre, mosque/prayer facility, cafe, restaurant and more.

“When fully operational, the Trust is hoping to create over 100 employment and apprentice opportunities which the residents and wider Bradford community will benefit greatly from.”

The sale was secured by commercial real estate firm Avison Young.

Stuart McKinnon-Evans, Chief Finance Officer at the University, said: “We are very pleased the Trust is taking over this site. The work they do complements the University’s own efforts to benefit the community. We think they will be a great addition to the city and the district, and we look forward to working with them to improve opportunities for people in Bradford.”

Emm Lane and the adjoining Sir Titus Salt building include a lecture theatre, restaurant, and atrium, while the second building, Heaton Mount, has a 42-bedroom hotel extension, professional kitchen, dining, and meeting facilities, as well as a further lecture theatre and a civil wedding license.

The Trust says its work in Bradford will also address challenges around health inequalities, deprivation and crime. It will work with local NHS and health providers to offer an affordable gym to help reduce health inequalities. It plans to work with the local council and police to tackle anti-social behaviour by offering apprentice and new business start up opportunities, encouraging more people into education, and offering bespoke physical activities.

In addition, there will be open days, organised visits to mosques, and trips to arts and cultural events beyond the region.

Heaton Mount was built in 1886. It was sold to textile manufacturer John Ambler for £9,750 in the 1890s. Over the years it has been a family home and a school and in 1955 there was a legal battle to stop Shell Mex and BP Ltd developing the grounds into a filling station. It was purchased by the University in 1967 to form the headquarters of its expanding business school.