Work commences on £5.4m housing development in Barnsley

Construction of a £5.7m affordable housing development in Barnsley is now underway, with the breaking of the first ground off Catherine’s Walk in Athersley South.

This new build development, which will be delivered by Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association (LYHA), is situated in the middle of an existing housing estate, next to South Athersley Primary School.

Aimed for completion in Autumn 2019, the scheme will provide 54 affordable homes; comprising 40 houses, eight apartments and six bungalows. Five of the homes will be available for shared ownership and the remainder for rent.

The development, which is being part funded by a £2m Homes England grant, will be built by construction company Engie and take approximately fifteen months to complete.

LYHA is paying a contribution to the school as part of the planning approval and has been involving local school children in the project already.

The breaking the first earth at the site went to Mike Gaskell (Chair of the Board) and Joanna Chambers (Head of Home & Growth) at Leeds & Yorkshire Housing; Councillor Robert Frost (Cabinet Support Member for Place at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council); Nathan Brough, Regional Director for ENGIE’s Places & Communities division; and Richard Panter from Homes England (seen here on the accompanying photograph).

Joanna Chambers, head of home and growth at LYHA, said: “We have asked the children to come up with names for the new streets which have now been suggested to Barnsley Council. They have also been busy creating lots of fantastic ‘Danger – Keep Out’ signs to go up around the perimeter fencing.”

“On a wider note I am delighted to see work commence on site and very excited to see the homes take shape. Leeds based architects, Acanthus WSM, have created a very attractively designed scheme with interesting elevational treatments to create a stand out development and I’m sure the new homes will prove very popular.”

Nathan Brough, regional director for ENGIE’s Places and Communities division, added: “After a lot of work in the planning stage, we can now start on site and help turn our partners’ exciting vision into reality.

“These new homes will provide a significant boost to Barnsley by helping to meet the borough’s housing needs, as well as create employment and training opportunities for local people.”

Councillor Robert Frost, Cabinet Support Member for Place at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, concluded: “It’s fantastic to see this development underway. Barnsley Council has ambitious plans for future housing in the borough and by working in partnership with Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association we are able deliver the highest quality, affordable homes. This is a major development in an area where additional housing is much needed.”