Unlocking the regeneration potential in industrial land
12.09.25 3 min read
There’s no doubt that industrial sites can be complex, but we have found them to be very worthwhile projects. While they require big ideas to unlock their potential, at Muse, we have a long track record in working closely with partners to meet their ambitions and breathe new life into these sites.
There are an estimated 23,000 brownfield sites across England, covering more than 27,000 hectares of previously developed land, many of which are post-industrial, [1] urban sites close to the centres of towns and cities. As industries closed and the UK moved to a more service driven economy, many people wanted to move to greener, cleaner places with more space. Part of our task with regeneration is to give them a reason to move back and create aspirational places to live which have all the same key amenities and quality of life.
In Yorkshire and the Northeast, once the UK’s industrial heartland, we have discovered that giving a new life to former industrial sites – whether that be dockyards, steel works, coal mines or mills – offers a unique opportunity.
Many have the ingredients we know are vital for delivering sustainable regeneration and, working closely with our partners across the private and public sector, we have been able to create thriving new communities in these post-industrial towns and cities.
Town centre connectivity
Once the bustling centres of urban life, former industrial sites benefit from proximity and connectivity with the town and city centres in which they live. They often benefit from good transport links and are close to employment opportunities and local amenities, making them prime for regeneration.
We know that a key part of successful regeneration is encouraging people to once again live in or near to town centres, and that this helps attract wider investment, drives employment and increases local spend into urban areas. Regeneration of these industrial sites, therefore, can be a catalyst for wider change or a significant part of the puzzle.
At Northshore, in Stockton-on-Tees, the site’s close location to the town’s high street has been a key part of its success. Working in partnership with Homes England and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, we created a sustainable new neighbourhood of over 200 new family homes, a hotel and commercial space on the banks of the River Tees. The site’s location, a stone’s throw from the town centre, has helped connect this once industrial riverbank with the heart of Stockton, offering the community new ways to live and spend their leisure time, as well as supporting the council’s wider regeneration of the town centre and the riverside.
It’s an approach that has also worked well in Rotherham, where we have worked closely with Rotherham Borough Council to develop Forge Island. Our award-winning new retail and leisure destination in the heart of Rotherham town centre and on the banks of the River Don. It’s a project that’s particularly close to my heart, having grown up in Rotherham, and it’s been great to see the positive impact this new development is already having on the town.
This former steel foundry is just a few minutes’ walk from the existing centre but was previously cut off from the urban core and being underutilised as a car park. We opened up this site to the wider town with the creation of a new pedestrian bridge over the river, which, alongside a new cinema, hotel and independent bars and restaurants, has created a thriving new retail and leisure destination that is now a key part of the town.
Waterside living
Because of their past, many former industrial sites are also located next to rivers or waterways, and across the world we can see examples of urban waterfronts being successfully transformed into thriving economic hubs and leisure and retail destinations.
Closer to home, in Yorkshire and the Northeast, the regeneration of former industrial sites has allowed us to create thriving communities on these once industrial riverbanks and estuaries, opening them up to the community so they can be enjoyed by a new generation.
In Rotherham, a key part of the regeneration of Forge Island was opening up the River Don to the community through the creation of new footpaths and green spaces, allowing residents of the town to enjoy the riverside for the first time. In Stockton-on-Tees, our development at Northshore has opened up a new part of the river for the community to enjoy and is playing into the wider regeneration of Stockton’s riverside.
Respecting heritage
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of post-industrial places is their unique character, created through years of history. Many sites still include remnants of their industrial heritage, whether that’s listed buildings, or structures that hark back to its former uses.
East Bank Urban Village in Hull, one of the city’s largest ever regeneration projects, is one such location where we will be breathing new life into the site while respecting its heritage. Working with the council as part of ECF, our partnership between Homes England and L&G we will be leading on the master planning, development and construction of the project, which will have a mix of uses and deliver up to 850 new homes.
Ideally located to the east of the river opposite Hull’s Old Town, the scheme will build on Hull’s industrial and maritime past to create a thriving new community for a new generation. The former Trinity House Buoy Shed, originally built in 1901 to store navigation equipment and now a Grade II listed building, is at the heart of the scheme and just one of the historic buildings that we are looking to repurpose to provide civic and commercial uses to the new community.
A unique opportunity
Former industrial sites are rich with potential. Their proximity to town centres, untapped connectivity, access to waterways, and rich heritage make them uniquely placed to deliver meaningful regeneration. By unlocking these assets through thoughtful planning and strong partnerships, we can create vibrant, sustainable communities that honour their history while driving forward economic growth.