Construction work is about to start on a housing scheme in Swinnow which will provide dozens of local authority homes.
Leeds City Council last month secured planning permission for the scheme, which will see a total of 82 energy efficient homes being built on a former school site at Hough Top.
With work to prepare the site for development now under way, it is anticipated that the main phase of construction could begin as soon as next month.
The scheme – which is being delivered via Leeds’s Council Housing Growth Programme (CHGP) – will comprise 55 houses and 27 apartments, with a mix of one, two, three and four bedrooms.
They will be suitable for adaptation and fitted with air source heat pumps, a sustainable heating solution that will help cut carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. The properties will all be made available for affordable rent, giving an important helping hand to families in a part of Leeds that has significant housing needs.
The scheme drew multiple objections from people living nearby, with concerns including the impact on road safety, damage to trees and wildlife, lack of engagement and the design, massing and appearance of the development.
The development is due to be delivered for the council by construction and property services company Willmott Dixon.
Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said: “We are determined to ensure that everyone in Leeds is able to enjoy the stability and security that comes with a good-quality home, with the increased provision of affordable housing having a central part to play in that.
“It’s really encouraging news, therefore, that the main phase of construction work on the residential development at Hough Top is due to begin shortly. These affordable homes will make a hugely positive difference to people’s lives, and will bring back into use an allocated housing site that has good access to public transport, green space and local services.
“Schemes such as this one are particularly important in a ward like Pudsey, where we know there is a very high demand for affordable housing.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “We believe that having a safe and secure place to live is a fundamental right, which is why we’re investing vital funds to deliver thousands of much-needed homes across West Yorkshire.”
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Excellent – we need more social housing in such locations. I just hope they are exempt for the right to buy, and they will be Council houses for decades to come.