One of  Leeds most distinctive landmark is to be given a whole new lease of life with a £19 millon goverment grant.

Tower Works pin factory at Globe Road next to the Leeds / Liverpool Canal was opened  by its owner Colonel Thomas Hardingn in 1836. The design of the new factory was heavily influenced by his love for Italian architecture and art. The most notable feature of the work are the three towers that give it its name and served as chimneys for the gill-pin factory. The largest and most ornate tower is based on the iconic Giotto Campanile (bell tower) in Florence. The smaller ornate tower is based on the Lamberti Tower  in Verona and the third plain tower, built as part of Harding's final phase in 1919, is said to represent a Tuscan tower house.

The factory was damaged during a bombing raid in the Second World War, then fell into dereliction on its closure in 1981. Now after 25 years work has begun, initially involve clearance and demolition, followed by the refurbishment of the listed buildins on the site, including the three towers.

Tower Works will  be a vibrant waterside neighbourhood offering 145,000 sq ft of offices with a mix of studios, smaller offices and corporate office spaces located on the western side and a range of 154 homes on the east. With pedestrian links to the city center and retail/leisure uses including bakery, micro brewery, bars and cafes, concentrated on the canal side and green, this is set to become a flagship development for the area and a great place for boaters to stop.