Is the City of Leicester a dump?

[leicsmac]

6 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

I was briefly in Hinckley on Saturday, it's a shame we didn't cross paths, we could of chatted over a coffee over our alignment on UK Politics  

One day I might hold you to that. 

 

At the end of the day, we're all human, after all. 

[Grebfromgrebland]

Oadby, Stoneygate and Knighton don't look in tatters and these are already or are becoming mostly Indian / Muslim.

 

I get the point about the extensions though!

[davieG]

1 hour ago, Paninistickers said:

Mate, I agree totally. But my point is slightly different. 

 

Oadby and Wigston and Welford road  were predominantly private and perceived the nice end of town. Lots of Jelson 1960s private estates. They are in tatters. It now looks far more like the new parks of old. 

 

Yet I can point to almost identical 60s, 70s, 80s  Jelson estates in, say, Groby, which are still largely white, and they are still clinging on. The neatness, the tidiness.  

 

It's an uncomfortable truth that Indians moving in to an area triggers a decline. Belgrave, Evington, Humberstone, Spinney Hills have been trashed for years. But the collapse of affluent South Leicester has happened in 20 years. And the last decade it's been in freefall. 

I've recently lived in Wigston Fields opposite Knighton Park and Wigston Magna behind St Wolstons Church both areas seemed pretty decent and I suspect as I said above most are owned by those living in them.

 

Parts of South Wigston can look a bit grim.

 

[HighPeakFox]

This thread is in great danger of being a very loud dog-whistle.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Categorically not a 'dump' as such but I walked through it for the first time in a year or so last week — good grief the Waterside development around Frog Island feels like such a missed opportunity to create something fantastic for the city. 

[davieG]

28 minutes ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

Categorically not a 'dump' as such but I walked through it for the first time in a year or so last week — good grief the Waterside development around Frog Island feels like such a missed opportunity to create something fantastic for the city. 

Never mind we have this to look forward too right next to  - "Speaking against the plans at the meeting, Councillor Patrick Kitterick said: "I think the thing that strikes me is just the sheer lack of architectural ambition here [...] And if you think that this is really the jewel box of Leicester's heritage, we have Jewry Wall, we have the beautifully redressed Pex building, Mary de Castro Church, Saint Nicholas Church, Castle Gardens, West Bridge, and then we have this".

 

 

 

'Uninspiring' flats on Brucciani's site approved despite concerns about what could be underneath
More than 100 flats could be built - unless they find something on the land

News
Tess Rushin Local Democracy Reporter
11:31, 21 Nov 2025

Student flats will be built on the former Brucciani's bakery site in Leicester after plans were approved. Applicant Mr Mandeep Dhadwar is behind the plans for the development in St Nicholas Circle.

The former bakery and neighbouring buildings will be flattened to make way for the project. The planned building will be four to seven storeys high.

125 student bedrooms are planned through a combination of 102 studios, a three-bed shared flat and five four-bed shared flats. The proposals include 5 car parking spaces, including one disability space.

Officers at the city council recommended the development for approval at the planning committee meeting held on Wednesday, November 19, subject to 21 conditions. These included a requirement that no development is undertaken until an archaeological investigation has taken place.

 

Speaking against the plans at the meeting, Councillor Patrick Kitterick said: "I think the thing that strikes me is just the sheer lack of architectural ambition here [...] And if you think that this is really the jewel box of Leicester's heritage, we have Jewry Wall, we have the beautifully redressed Pex building, Mary de Castro Church, Saint Nicholas Church, Castle Gardens, West Bridge, and then we have this.

 

 

"And it is, it is just so uninspiring [...] If we find ourselves driving or walking or cycling past this in five or 10 years' time, that we sat on the committee and we said this was good enough for this particular location [...] I regret the loss of the Brucciani bakery. It's part of the history of the area, it tells about the development across time".

Concerns were previously raised by Historic England over potential harm that could be caused to Leicester's historic fabric. The advisory body said there is a "high chance" that the site boasts a "rich and complex" selection of prehistoric, medieval, and Roman-era remains beneath the buildings currently occupying it.

There could be remains of "equivalent importance" to a scheduled monument – an archaeological site deemed nationally important – surviving under the surface, Historic England believes. This is of particular importance as the land is next to Leicester's Jewry Wall, a Roman bathhouse.

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/uninspiring-flats-bruccianis-site-approved-10659003

[Stadt]

3 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

Categorically not a 'dump' as such but I walked through it for the first time in a year or so last week — good grief the Waterside development around Frog Island feels like such a missed opportunity to create something fantastic for the city. 

Sticking two storey townhouses on the most central and underdeveloped bit of waterside will be a millennia spanning mistake.

 

I’ve spoken to a developer that was keen on building genuinely tall (20+ storey) apartment buildings in the city but the planning dept just aren’t interested. They think 9 storeys is tall! 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

12 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Sticking two storey townhouses on the most central and underdeveloped bit of waterside will be a millennia spanning mistake.

 

I’ve spoken to a developer that was keen on building genuinely tall (20+ storey) apartment buildings in the city but the planning dept just aren’t interested. They think 9 storeys is tall! 

 

I remember the original renderings for those white flats on Bath Lane being on the front page of the Mercury in 07 (I think, or around then) and they looked very un-Leicester like – they almost looked a bit like the towers in Deansgate Square in Manchester. I'm sure someone on SkyscraperCity or something will have planning docs but like them or loathe them they at least looked different

 

 

over a decade later we got this

 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Oh and DeMontfort House is the ugliest building the city has by a country mile, get it flattened

[Stadt]

1 hour ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

I remember the original renderings for those white flats on Bath Lane being on the front page of the Mercury in 07 (I think, or around then) and they looked very un-Leicester like – they almost looked a bit like the towers in Deansgate Square in Manchester. I'm sure someone on SkyscraperCity or something will have planning docs but like them or loathe them they at least looked different

 

 

over a decade later we got this

 

Those renders swam around my head for years. It would have gotten the tall monkey off the city’s back, increased the ambient height (planning dept are very hung up on this) and proved Leicester as a pro-development city.

 

Instead low rise developments are always revised down from moderate 12-15 storey schemes to ~10. All the while they keep pushing their housing target allocation out into the county.

[Parafox]

4 hours ago, davieG said:

Never mind we have this to look forward too right next to  - "Speaking against the plans at the meeting, Councillor Patrick Kitterick said: "I think the thing that strikes me is just the sheer lack of architectural ambition here [...] And if you think that this is really the jewel box of Leicester's heritage, we have Jewry Wall, we have the beautifully redressed Pex building, Mary de Castro Church, Saint Nicholas Church, Castle Gardens, West Bridge, and then we have this".

 

 

 

'Uninspiring' flats on Brucciani's site approved despite concerns about what could be underneath
More than 100 flats could be built - unless they find something on the land

News
Tess Rushin Local Democracy Reporter
11:31, 21 Nov 2025

Student flats will be built on the former Brucciani's bakery site in Leicester after plans were approved. Applicant Mr Mandeep Dhadwar is behind the plans for the development in St Nicholas Circle.

The former bakery and neighbouring buildings will be flattened to make way for the project. The planned building will be four to seven storeys high.

125 student bedrooms are planned through a combination of 102 studios, a three-bed shared flat and five four-bed shared flats. The proposals include 5 car parking spaces, including one disability space.

Officers at the city council recommended the development for approval at the planning committee meeting held on Wednesday, November 19, subject to 21 conditions. These included a requirement that no development is undertaken until an archaeological investigation has taken place.

 

Speaking against the plans at the meeting, Councillor Patrick Kitterick said: "I think the thing that strikes me is just the sheer lack of architectural ambition here [...] And if you think that this is really the jewel box of Leicester's heritage, we have Jewry Wall, we have the beautifully redressed Pex building, Mary de Castro Church, Saint Nicholas Church, Castle Gardens, West Bridge, and then we have this.

 

 

"And it is, it is just so uninspiring [...] If we find ourselves driving or walking or cycling past this in five or 10 years' time, that we sat on the committee and we said this was good enough for this particular location [...] I regret the loss of the Brucciani bakery. It's part of the history of the area, it tells about the development across time".

Concerns were previously raised by Historic England over potential harm that could be caused to Leicester's historic fabric. The advisory body said there is a "high chance" that the site boasts a "rich and complex" selection of prehistoric, medieval, and Roman-era remains beneath the buildings currently occupying it.

There could be remains of "equivalent importance" to a scheduled monument – an archaeological site deemed nationally important – surviving under the surface, Historic England believes. This is of particular importance as the land is next to Leicester's Jewry Wall, a Roman bathhouse.

 

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/uninspiring-flats-bruccianis-site-approved-10659003

Yet again, it's the DMU supporting developers in building student accommodation. They give zero fuch's about any of our heritage buildings.

[davieG]

Hidden Leicester  · 

Graham Hulme 

An old postcard view of London Road c. 1950s. The large building seen beyond the railway station on the right was the Wyvern Building which was built to the designs of the Leicester architect Arthur Wakerley around 1895. The building originally housed the Wyvern Hotel, a temperance hotel, with shops on the ground floor, and was designed to match the new London Road Midland Station next to it. The station was built in 1892-94, designed by the Midland Railway architect Charles Trubshaw, and replaced the old Campbell Street station which had opened in 1840. The Wyvern Building was constructed on the site of St Stephen's Presbyterian Church which was taken down in 1893 and rebuilt on New Walk. The Wyvern Hotel closed in 1933 and the building was subsequently occupied by Shell-Mex-BP. Later it became offices for British Road Services. The building was demolished in the mid 1970s and the Elizabeth House tower block was built on the site. On the left of the picture can be seen the old Leicester Evening Mail newspaper office, a fine Art Deco building designed in 1932 by the Leicester architect Shirley Harrison, of the firm Stockdale Harrison & Sons. Shirley Harrison also designed De Montfort Hall. The Evening Mail had been founded in 1910 and was originally based in Belvoir Street, moving to London Road in 1926. The newspaper ceased publication in 1963. The building was demolished in the 1970s.

 

[Parafox]

16 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Those renders swam around my head for years. It would have gotten the tall monkey off the city’s back, increased the ambient height (planning dept are very hung up on this) and proved Leicester as a pro-development city.

 

Instead low rise developments are always revised down from moderate 12-15 storey schemes to ~10. All the while they keep pushing their housing target allocation out into the county.

Inspired,  considerate architect designs taking into account the style of the older buildings in the area  seem to be a thing of the past. 

 

It's all about functionality, formality, ease/cost of construction. Everything has to be at 90 degs, no obtuse or acute angles or sweeping curves.

[Parafox]

3 minutes ago, davieG said:

Hidden Leicester  · 

Graham Hulme 

An old postcard view of London Road c. 1950s. The large building seen beyond the railway station on the right was the Wyvern Building which was built to the designs of the Leicester architect Arthur Wakerley around 1895. The building originally housed the Wyvern Hotel, a temperance hotel, with shops on the ground floor, and was designed to match the new London Road Midland Station next to it. The station was built in 1892-94, designed by the Midland Railway architect Charles Trubshaw, and replaced the old Campbell Street station which had opened in 1840. The Wyvern Building was constructed on the site of St Stephen's Presbyterian Church which was taken down in 1893 and rebuilt on New Walk. The Wyvern Hotel closed in 1933 and the building was subsequently occupied by Shell-Mex-BP. Later it became offices for British Road Services. The building was demolished in the mid 1970s and the Elizabeth House tower block was built on the site. On the left of the picture can be seen the old Leicester Evening Mail newspaper office, a fine Art Deco building designed in 1932 by the Leicester architect Shirley Harrison, of the firm Stockdale Harrison & Sons. Shirley Harrison also designed De Montfort Hall. The Evening Mail had been founded in 1910 and was originally based in Belvoir Street, moving to London Road in 1926. The newspaper ceased publication in 1963. The building was demolished in the 1970s.

 

 

 

That gets me annoyed. Character gone. Dull functionality in it's place. There must be better vision than this.

[splinterdream]

The inner ring road Eyres Monsell/Aylestone is a huge pain, they really need to add a couple of lanes to parts of it, roads always gridlocked

[VLC86]

9 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

Categorically not a 'dump' as such but I walked through it for the first time in a year or so last week — good grief the Waterside development around Frog Island feels like such a missed opportunity to create something fantastic for the city. 

Agreed. When I first saw them advertised I was interested as I could see it being the up and coming area but nope. A consequence of the city struggling a bit I guess.

[westernpark]

6 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

Oh and DeMontfort House is the ugliest building the city has by a country mile, get it flattened

Can you say what and how you would change your points?

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Just now, westernpark said:

Can you say what and how you would change your points?

 

Ey

[westernpark]

1 minute ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

Ey

Apologies. Was supposed to be regarding waterside development question.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

9 minutes ago, westernpark said:

Apologies. Was supposed to be regarding waterside development question.

 

I'm not an expert man so I don't necessarily have the answer there and I'll probably articulate this terribly. But it doesn't feel like there are any spaces / any amenities to drag a casual punter down there away from the city centre at the moment on the off chance. It's just pretty run of the mill housing and little else. There are opportunities for some really nice communal spaces by the canal for folk / families that might not live in the development, spruce up that towpath between North Bridge Lock and Abbey Park, but it doesn't feel like an exciting regeneration of what could be a really cool area with nods to it's past. Something like a (very) Diet Kelham Island is what I have in my mind's eye but maybe it's just not viable in Leicester. It just feels like they've had a bit of a sweep about and plonked some fine but unremarkable houses down.

 

Maybe it'll come in time and the area by proxy will get more of those amenities and feel a bit more like an extension of the city as people settle there. Can't remember if you were a planner / architect by trade so keen to hear your thoughts tbh!

[CornwallFox]

Growing up in Leicester in the 80s and 90s I was of the view it needed 95% demolition.

Since then maybe 30% has been with some great results. 

Highcross from the outside looks great. The cathedral quarter and jubilee Square are great improvements. The area near the high cross car park with hotels etc is better. Curve and the bar opposite good additions. 

Still another 65% to go though.

Not sure why some are calling for high rises though. The ones we have look abysmal. Leicester isn't exciting enough to draw in real money so they'd end up shabby and unkempt. 

Edited 22 November 2025 by CornwallFox

[Stuntman_Mike]

18 hours ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

Categorically not a 'dump' as such but I walked through it for the first time in a year or so last week — good grief the Waterside development around Frog Island feels like such a missed opportunity to create something fantastic for the city. 

No idea why they didn't build up. A couple of nice/modern tower block flats aimed at young professionals would've been great overlooking the canal.

 

The sort that would use Lane7 in the week and see the Robin Hood reopen (wishful thinking)

[kenny]

2 minutes ago, CornwallFox said:

Growing up in Leicester in the 80s and 90s I was of the view it needed 95% demolition.

Since then maybe 30% has been with some great results. 

Highcross from the outside looks great. The cathedral quarter and jubilee Square are great improvements. The area near the high cross car park with hotels etc is better. Curve and the bar opposite good additions. 

Still another 65% to go though.

Not sure why some are calling for high rises though. The ones we have look abysmal. Leicester isn't exciting enough to draw in real money so they'd end up shabby and unkempt. 

You are mostly right IMO.

 

We need 5-6 storey developments in the town, the keepmoat site at the waterside is a real waste of space. It's a car centric housing development in the middle of town. The corah site is more dense, though there was no need to demolish the historic frontages.

 

Leicesters planning department is the biggest barrier to good development in the city.

[kenny]

4 minutes ago, Stuntman_Mike said:

No idea why they didn't build up. A couple of nice/modern tower block flats aimed at young professionals would've been great overlooking the canal.

 

The sort that would use Lane7 in the week and see the Robin Hood reopen (wishful thinking)

There was loads of flats built like that already and it's nice and peaceful down there. It's weirdly quiet like a ghost town. For some reason, having loads of people living there has not added to the vibrancy of the area at all.

 

I worked at friars mill and you barely saw anyone yet the developments are fully occupied.

[Stuntman_Mike]

9 minutes ago, kenny said:

There was loads of flats built like that already and it's nice and peaceful down there. It's weirdly quiet like a ghost town. For some reason, having loads of people living there has not added to the vibrancy of the area at all.

 

I worked at friars mill and you barely saw anyone yet the developments are fully occupied.

Yeah it's a strange area really.

 

I grew up round around that way and it just feels like a another wasted opportunity.