An affordable housing project in Armley has welcomed its first wave of new residents this week. The project is a blend of houses and apartments, which will be available through affordable/social renting schemes.
For some people, affordable housing provides an opportunity to break free from the shackles of a bad area. Josh, 34, has just been accepted for one of the new houses. He didn’t want to share his full name, but gave an insight into the struggles he has faced.
“We were waiting on different schemes for 10 years,” Josh continued. “We aren’t quite moved in yet, but we really like the house. We’ve got peace of mind, it’s in a better area – it’s a fresh start for us. Unfortunately, I don’t have anything nice to say about where we used to live. Half the street needs arresting. There were drug problems, family problems, social problems, you name it. The things we heard and witnessed, I don’t know how some of those people still have their kids.”
Yorkshire Housing has teamed up with construction company Termrim, alongside Leeds City Council, to deliver the development. Work continues at the site adjacent to Moorfield Park in Armley, on a plot of land once held by a factory.
The new homes will range from one to four bedroom properties and are all to be equipped with energy-saving technologies, including solar panel systems and EV chargers.
Source: Jack Houldsworth | All Rights ReservedJacob Webster, PR and Campaigns specialist at Yorkshire Housing, said: “Once complete later this year, the scheme off Moorfield Road will provide 50 homes all available for affordable or social rent, offering vital housing options for local families facing rising living costs. Affordable rent is set below market rates, while social rent is lower and linked to local income levels, helping ensure these homes remain accessible to those who need them most.”
“There’s a growing demand for this type of housing in Leeds, and this development forms part of our wider commitment to addressing that challenge. Armley is a fantastic location for this kind of scheme. It’s well-connected, has a strong sense of community, and the site itself is brownfield land – meaning we’re making use of previously developed land and supporting sustainable regeneration. We’ve recently completed the first homes, and our new customers will be moving in soon. This marks an important milestone not just for Armley, but for Leeds more broadly, as the need for high-quality, affordable housing continues to grow.”
The conclusion of construction is expected before the new year, but it is one of many projects taking shape across Yorkshire.
Source: Jack Houldsworth | All Rights Reserved“We do have other developments underway in North Yorkshire,” Webster adds. “Including two in Knaresborough on Boroughbridge Road and Halfpenny Lane. At our Castle Locke development on Boroughbridge Road, we’ve delivered 120 new homes across a mix of tenures – including affordable rent, shared ownership, rent to buy, and market sale.”
Source: Jack Houldsworth | All Rights ReservedLeeds City Council discussed the success of their affordable housing strategy at the full council meeting on September 10. Councillor Jess Lennox said: “This administration has overseen the highest level of new homes built in our city since the early 1980s.”
She continued: “Phase one of our council housing growth program delivered 1,600 social rented homes and nearly 3,000 new affordable homes in partnership with the sector over the last five years.”
This development project is one strand of the council’s plan to deliver 800 affordable homes each year.
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