Works begin on £16m sustainable homes project
Sustainable developer, Citu, has started construction on 51 low energy homes in Leeds, designed using Passive House Principles with a Gross Development Value of £16m.
The project, called “Stall”, is on a brownfield site in Kirkstall, next to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal It is being funded by Close Brothers Property Finance, part of the FTSE 250 Close Brothers Group plc.
The first homes should be available for occupation at the end-2023.
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are being used, with the homes’ modular closed timber frame panels designed in-house and manufactured in the Citu factory.
Once complete, the new homes will heat hot water using air source heat pumps and will use Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation (MHRV) units to regulate the internal air quality and temperature.
Along with high levels of insulation, energy required for heating these properties will be around five times lower than the average UK house.
The development will be set up as a Community Interest Company (CIC) and will have a solar array. This will be co-owned by all of the residents and will provide a source of clean, renewable energy on-site.
Jonathan Wilson, managing director at Citu, said: “Our partnership with Close Brothers has enabled our business, and the communities we are building, to grow.
“We are excited to collaborate on this latest venture in Kirkstall and deliver places and homes with purpose that give equal priority to people, nature and high-standards of living.”
Daniel Joyce, director at Close Brothers Property Finance, added: “Building sustainable housing has never been more important and we are committed to funding future-proofed homes, which are designed to reduce their carbon footprint as well as energy usage.
“We have a strong track record of supporting low carbon developments in the UK and working with the very best developers in the industry to move MMC and passive housing from being a one-off bespoke design model, to a reality for everyday homeowners.
“Developers such as Citu are leading this charge, we’re proud to be supporting them on their journey and look forward to continuing to work with them.”
