Fearns Island

53°47′34″N 1°31′59″W / 53.792833°N 1.533027°W / 53.792833; -1.533027

Fearns Island (formerly Far Steander Island and Leeds Dam Island) is a small river island lying in the middle of the River Aire, between the banks of Leeds Dock and Leeds city centre. The island covers roughly 0.7 acres of land. The island acts as a break in the river, dividing the weir at Leeds Dam from Leeds Locks, a core lock in the Aire and Calder Navigation. Nowadays, the island is managed by the Canal & River Trust. The island falls at the centre point of Knight's Way Footbridge, built in 2007 to connect Leeds Dock with the apartments on the other side of the river. Leeds Dam was refurbished in 2017 as part of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme.^[1] The island falls within the council ward of Hunslet and Riverside and the parliamentary constituency of Leeds South.^[2]

The northern half of the island was once home to various industrial sites, but eventually fell into disrepair in the 20th century. A proposal was put forward in 2010 to turn the northern half of the island into a nature reserve.^[3] The plan went ahead, and buildings on the island were eventually demolished in 2016 and the area was given over to wildlife. As of March 2026, there are plans to turn parts of the northern half of the island into a public space.^[4] The island also hosts mooring posts for barges and other small boats along the river.^[5]

The island takes its name from an old district of Leeds, Fearn's Island, named after the Fearn family that owned the mills in the area around Leeds Dam.^[6][7] Unlike the old area, the name is typically spelt without the apostrophe. Historically the island was named Far Steander Island, as it was once likely considered part of the Steander area of the city.^[8] The island is also sparingly referred to as Leeds Dam Island, as it acts as the western edge of Leeds Dam.^[9] The island is sometimes split on maps into North Fearn's Island and South Fearn's Island, with the North being the formerly built up part of the island, and the south being the area around the lock.^[10][11]

While a dam in the area was likely first built during the Middle Ages, Industrial activity in the area is first documented in 1636.^[9] A lock was built between the island and what was then the north bank of Hunslet in the mid-1700s, to act as the eastern terminus of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the western terminus of the Aire and Calder Navigation, allowing goods from Leeds to be exported to the wider world via Liverpool and Hull.^[12]

In the Industrial Revolution, the northern half of the island, the half large enough to house buildings, would become home to multiple manufacturing plants. These plants include a dye works and a paper bag manufacturer.^[8]

Leeds Dock was built on the adjacent bank in 1843, constructed for boats using the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the Aire and Calder Navigation to tranship goods and commodities from Leeds city centre.^[13]

The island would eventually fall into disrepair in the 20th century. The industrial sites on the island were eventually vacated. The Sea Scouts would occupy the northern half of the island for a time afterwards.^[3]

Leeds Dock, which too had fallen into disrepair, would begin to see regeneration in the 1990s, beginning with the opening of the Royal Armouries Museum in 1996. A bridge over the island, Knight's Way Footbridge, was constructed in 2007 to connect the redevelopments at Leeds Dock with the apartments built on the other side of the river.^[14]

The Canal & River Trust took control of Leeds Lock upon their founding in July 2012. It is still maintained by them to this day.^[15]

In 2010, following a similar scheme in nearby Holbeck, a local proposal was made to transform the northern half of the island into a nature reserve, in response to the abandonment of the buildings on the island. The proposal went through, and the buildings were demolished in 2016. The area is now a nature reserve and is inaccessible to the public.^[3]

Following the 2015 Boxing Day Floods, the Leeds Flood Prevention Scheme began construction as part of a two phase scheme. The first phase was completed in 2017, with the construction of a moveable weir on the site of the old Leeds Dam.^[1][16] The weir would go on to protect Leeds during the flooding in 2019.^[17] The second phase of the scheme, constructed further up the river, was completed in 2024.^[18]

As of March 2026, following repeated cases of anti-social behaviour in the nature reserve, there have been plans by the Canal & River Trust to turn part of North Fearn's Island into a community space, likely a public garden. The plan has received pushback from local councillors. Labour councillor Paul Wray expressed criticism towards the Trust for their lack of communication with local communities.^[4] Green Party councillor Ed Carlisle has expressed direct opposition to any plans to reduce the size of the nature reserve.^[19]

• The southern side of Leeds Dock, where the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and Aire & Calder Navigation meet.
• Leeds Dam seen from Fearn's Wharf. The current dam was installed in 2017 following a series of floods on Boxing Day 2015.
• Leeds Dam seen from Knight's Way Footbridge. The discharge point of Timble Beck is also visible.
• Fearns Island Nature Reserve, very closely visible from the northern entrance to Leeds Dock. The area is currently inaccessible to the public.
• Demolition of the buildings on North Fearn's Island in 2016.
• The pre-2017 immobile dam, deemed unfit for purpose following the 2015 Boxing Day Floods.