70 new affordable homes underway in Oulton

Efficiency North member Leeds Federated Housing Association (LFHA) have brought residents and councillors together for a ground-breaking event at their new affordable housing development on Sugar Hill Close in Oulton. 

Termrim Construction were appointed through EN:Procure’s new build framework to deliver the scheme which will provide 70 new affordable homes for local people, with a mix of two, three and four-bedrooms. Residents will benefit from solar panels installed across the scheme, with each home built to high energy efficiency standards and achieving an EPC-B rating.

The phased works will see the first 10 new homes completed in Autumn 2024.  These will all be allocated to residents currently living on Sugar Hill Close and Wordsworth Drive who have regulated or assured tenancies. LFHA is also working closely with Leeds City Council to enable former residents who did not have assured or regulated tenancies to be given, where possible, an opportunity to move into the newly built affordable rented homes.

LFHA purchased the site in 2022 with plans to build much-needed affordable housing in place of the existing prefabricated Airey homes, which the National Coal Board built in the 1940s as a temporary solution to the post-war housing crisis. 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. LFHA have created a digital publication about the history of the estate, what the future holds, and included FAQs that they’ll be updating throughout, to support ongoing resident comms on the project. Visit https://sugarhill.lfha.co.uk/ 

The whole Sugar Hill Close and Wordsworth Drive regeneration scheme will be completed in 2026 and will also provide 5 full time training opportunities for local people to start careers in construction.

Kim Brear, LFHA’s chair, 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.

“It’s great to see phase one of the demolition complete and I look forward to seeing the homes take shape over the next year.”

Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, added: “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.

“The council has worked hard to support both current and former residents during the recent period of change for this tight-knit community, and I look forward to seeing how the scheme now takes shape in the months and years to come.”