£11.6m scheme delivers affordable housing boost
Work to regenerate the former Abbey Park estate in Illingworth, Halifax, is now complete.
The £11.6m Valley Heights scheme features more than 80 homes and has helped provide additional affordable housing for the local area.
Hilary Brady, director of Development for Together Housing, said: “Our strong partnership work and support from Homes England has enabled us build these new homes in Halifax.
“As a social landlord it is important for us to ensure we provide affordable and good quality homes.
“Visiting the development and seeing these properties occupied gives me confidence that we at Together Housing are helping to build local communities and bring positive change in the lives of local people.”
Commenting during a visit to the site, MP Holly Lynch said: “My office is contacted everyday by those in need of high-quality, affordable homes. It was great to see the new homes that have been built at Abbey Park in Illingworth.”
Councillor Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for Climate Change and Resilience, said: “Thanks to a real team effort, it’s great to see the new, high-quality homes completed and having a positive impact on local people’s lives.
“The Calderdale Together Housing Investment Partnership has brought a previously unused site back into use.
“This complements the major ongoing investment into an exciting future for North Halifax, and the wider regeneration across the whole borough, in support of our vision to create vibrant and sustainable places.”
A total of 83 homes have been built. 63 of these were made available via affordable rent and the remaining have been sold through shared ownership via Together Homes.
The development comprises 42 three-bedroom houses, 33 two-bedroom houses and eight two-bedroom bungalows. Lovell built the homes employing five apprentices from the area while doing so.
Robert Adams, regional managing director at Lovell, added: “It’s been a pleasure to work with Together Housing on the Valley Heights developments, while bringing fantastic affordable housing to Illingworth, Halifax.
“Now that the site is complete, we are excited to welcome the buyers into their new homes, which we hope they love as much as we do.”
Construction work began in 2020 as the pandemic took hold. The site was formerly for residential use and had comprised two-storey housing and flats which were demolished in 2016 after standing derelict for several years.
The scheme is part of the Calderdale Together Housing Investment Partnership (CTHIP), a partnership between Calderdale Council and Together Housing Group, which is committed to deliver up to 650 new homes over five years from 2018 to 2023.
Funding for the development was also made possible through Together Housing’s Strategic Partnership with Homes England.
