Works begin to develop dozens of affordable homes
A total of 70 new homes are to be built in Sugar Hill Close and Wordsworth Drive, in Oulton, outside Leeds.
The project is being partly funded through Homes England’s Strategic Partnership with Accent Housing, as part of the Government’s Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) 2021-26, with building works to be carried out by Termrim Construction.
Leeds Federated Housing Association brought residents and councillors from Leeds City Council together at a ground-breaking event for the affordable housing development.
Leeds City Council’s executive board will next week be asked to approve a grant of £2.8m, which will enable Leeds Federated to increase the number of affordable rented homes across the scheme.
Once works are completed, the development will comprise a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses for local people.
The not-for-profit housing provider purchased the site last year with plans to replace its existing prefabricated Airey homes – built in the 1940s by the National Coal Board as a temporary solution to the post-war housing crisis – with much-needed affordable housing.
Most of the original development was regenerated nearly 30 years ago, providing modern homes on Shelley Crescent and Oulton Drive, with the remaining Airey homes on Sugar Hill Close and Wordsworth Drive the last to be redeveloped.
Phase one of the development is expected to complete next autumn.
Kim Brear, chair at Leeds Federated Housing Association, said: “Over the last year we have worked closely with residents and the council to move forward with the redevelopment of Sugar Hill Close and Wordsworth Drive.
“We want to ensure the new scheme is a place that people want to move to and enjoy living in, and I would like to thank everyone involved for positively engaging with our team who are wholeheartedly committed to not just developing affordable housing but helping people to make a home.”
Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said: “Increasing the provision of good-quality, energy-efficient and affordable housing forms a key part of our efforts to ensure Leeds is a place that has opportunities and communities for all.
“The regeneration of Sugar Hill Close and Wordsworth Drive is a great example of how ambitious thinking and partnership working can help us achieve that aim, and it was a pleasure to attend the ground-breaking ceremony at the site.”
Gerry Doherty, construction manager at Termrim Construction, added: “We are really pleased to be working with Leeds Federated to deliver this exciting new development which will bring new and affordable homes to Oulton.
“We are dedicated to improving communities and the lives of those within them and we are looking forward to building these new quality homes and bringing them to reality for our client and the new homeowners.”
