We have announced plans to build 54 new homes in Athersley South, in Barnsley. Planning permission has been granted and work will begin on site in the Summer. Once completed this will be the largest new-build development that LYHA has undertaken for a number of years and will provide much needed affordable homes for families and older people in an area of acute housing need.
The £5.7 million development will be part funded by a £2 million Homes England grant: it will comprise 8 apartments, 6 bungalows and 40 houses. Five homes will be available for shared ownership and the remainder for affordable rent.
The development has been designed by Leeds based architects, Acanthus WSM, with attractive features to the elevations to add interest such as hipped roofs and panelling. The development will be built by Engie and it is expected to take around 15 months, with completion scheduled for Autumn 2019.
The site is in the middle of an existing housing estate, next to Athersley South Primary School and LYHA is paying an education contribution to the school as part of the planning approval. Once completed these homes will bring the total owned and managed by LYHA to over 1,500 homes, 197 of which will be in the Barnsley area. The organisation has grown rapidly over the last two years and has increased its portfolio by 15% thanks to its ambitious new build programme.
Joanna Chambers, Head of Home and Growth at Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association, comments: “I am delighted that we have now received planning permission and purchased the land and I can’t wait to see the homes begin to take shape. The architect has created a design which we’re all excited to see come to fruition and I’m sure the new homes will prove very popular with local people. A recently advertised 3-bedroom house in Athersley South received an incredible 516 expressions of interest; while the latest National Housing Federation’s ‘Home Truths’ report highlighted that there was a shortfall of 36,000 homes in Yorkshire between 2012 and 2016.”
Mark Pearson, Interim Chief Executive at LYHA, adds: “We are delighted to be building more high quality, affordable housing in this area. Great care has been taken in the plans to ensure that the new homes will blend in with the surrounding area and I’m sure they will look fantastic. We have a great partnership with Barnsley Council and I am excited to be working together once again.”
Matt Gladstone, Executive Director for Place, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, adds: “We need to build more than 21,000 homes over the next 20 years in Barnsley to make sure that there’s enough housing for our growing population and to help our economy to grow. Barnsley Council transferred the land to LYHA at a nil rate to enable the delivery of new homes, as well as investing £50,000 to make sure we get the right mix, tenure and quality of housing. We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association. They are one of our preferred development partners and the build will create employment and training opportunities for local people.”
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For further information, please contact Georgina Thompson at Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association on Tel: 0113 2208121 or Email: georgina.thompson@lyha.co.uk