The Future of Leicester's Corah Factory Hangs in the Balance
The CBA is keenly awaiting Leicester City Council's planning committee decision on the future of the historic Corah Factory, St Margaret's Works, on Wednesday 1st October.
Current proposals would effectively raze this landmark site, which is a powerful symbol of Leicester's identity as a global giant in textile manufacturing. Described as 'palaces of industry', these handsome factory buildings are a key part of the city's story and were added to Leicester's local heritage asset register in 2016.
The CBA has repeatedly objected in the strongest possible terms to the current plans, which would cause substantial harm to this non-designated heritage asset. Our objection is one of many, with Historic Buildings & Places, The Victorian Society, the Twentieth Century Society, Leicester Civic Society, and SAVE Britain's Heritage also opposing the scheme. We believe a far better outcome is possible.
There is huge potential to deliver much-needed homes within these historic buildings, maintaining Corah’s central role in Leicester’s cultural identity. A heritage-led regeneration scheme would not only deliver housing but also reinvigorate the public realm, reimagining past greatness for a sustainable future. This approach would better align with both national planning policy and Leicester's own climate emergency commitments by reusing the vast amount of embodied carbon in the existing structures.
We believe Leicester deserves a scheme that celebrates its unique industrial heritage, not one that erases it.
Find out more about the Corah site, what's at stake, and how regeneration could be better acheived:
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Read our full consultation responses on the JCNAS database: https://casework.jcnas.org.uk/case/120620
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Learn more in our Casefiles articles in British Archaeology:
