70
5
2026
4
THE CHALLENGE
The Sugar Hill Close and Wordsworth Drive area was home to prefabricated Airey homes, built by the National Coal Board in the 1940s as a temporary solution to the post-war housing crisis. Despite regeneration efforts nearly 30 years ago, several of these outdated homes still remained, necessitating a fresh approach. Â
LFHA (Leeds Federated Housing Association) purchased the site in 2022 with plans to replace the existing Airey homes with modern, affordable housing. The challenge lay not only in constructing these new homes but also in ensuring that they were both energy-efficient and available to current and former residents of the area. Additionally, LFHA had to manage resident communications effectively throughout the project.
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.
Councillor Jess Lennox, executive member for housing | Leeds City Council
THE OUTCOME
To tackle this ambitious project, LFHA appointed Termrim Construction through EN:Procure’s new build framework to deliver 70 new, affordable homes for local people with a mix of two, three, and four bedrooms.
Each home is designed to high energy efficiency standards, achieving an EPC-B rating, with residents benefitting from solar panels installed across the scheme to meet the growing demand for sustainable living options.Â
The first 10 new homes of the phased works are due for completion in Autumn 2024. These homes were allocated to current residents of Sugar Hill Close and Wordsworth Drive with regulated or assured tenancies. LFHA is also working with Leeds City Council to give former residents without assured or regulated tenancies the opportunity to move into the newly built affordable rented homes.
To support ongoing resident communications, LFHA created a digital publication about the estate’s history, the project’s future, and frequently asked questions.Â
The Sugar Hill Close and Wordsworth Drive regeneration scheme is expected to be fully completed by 2026, marking a significant step forward in LFHA’s mission to provide affordable, energy-efficient housing.
Kim Brear | LFHA’s chair
ADDED SOCIAL VALUE
The project has also provided five full-time training opportunities in construction for local people through the framework contract, employed through EN:Able Futures Flexi-job apprenticeship service, further contributing to the area’s socio-economic development.
EN:Procure
EN:Able Futures
EN:Able Build
EN:Able Communities