Leicester Waterside area to receive £26m makeover

Plans for the Waterside area of Leicester could take 15 years to complete

A "neglected" part of Leicester is set to receive a £26.5m makeover, including housing, businesses and leisure activities.

City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has unveiled a 15-year plan for the 150-acre Waterside area around the River Soar.

Work has already begun to convert the old Friar's Mill into offices and a cafe.

The proposals go to a six-week public consultation next week.

The former industrial area has been neglected in recent decades.

The Waterside area was once a thriving area of industry in the city but has become "neglected", he said.

"We have the opportunity here to bring jobs, investment and housing into this part of the city and see it totally transformed and become an asset not a liability," he said.

The plans include student accommodation, restoration of some of the area's former industrial character and new leisure activities around the river and canal.

Funding has come from the government and the city council but the authority has not revealed how much it has contributed.

A £6m project to convert Friar's Mill on the site is under way, which was mostly funded by a European Regional Development Fund grant.

A public consultation starts on Friday 16 January, the council said.