A topping out ceremony has marked a significant point in the construction of our new £42 million affordable apartment scheme in the centre of Leeds, providing more than 200 much needed new homes.
The ceremony marks the highest point of the construction being reached and we celebrated with guests from Homes England, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Leeds City Council, Inspire Consult and United Living.
The new building, off Saxton Lane, will contain 207 apartments from one-bedroom to four-bedrooms, all available for affordable rent. The development will also include approximately 200 cycle spaces to encourage sustainable travel. Four of the apartments will be fully wheelchair adaptable.
The project has been made possible through an investment of £1.2 million from West Yorkshire Combined Authority. We also have access to grant funding from a Strategic Partnership with Homes England, the Government’s housing and regeneration agency.
We are working in partnership with United Living New Homes to develop the apartments, all of which will be owned and managed by us once completed. The new homes, built on a Brownfield site which was formerly an old car garage, will continue the regeneration of this area in of Leeds city centre. The development is expected to complete in late autumn 2025 with residents moving in soon after.
Sue Young, Executive Director of Development at WDH, said, “It’s great that we have reached this milestone as we see our Saxton Heights development take its place on the Leeds skyline. This has been our biggest project to date and we’re excited to complete the energy efficient new homes and see a new vibrant community created in the city next year.”
Lisa Jones, Senior Manager for Affordable Homes Growth (North) at Homes England, said: “As the Government’s housing and regeneration agency, increasing the supply of quality affordable homes remains one of our key objectives and we are committed to supporting stakeholders of all sizes to achieve their ambitions.
“It’s great to see how far the Saxton Lane development has progressed and the positive impact we are making with WDH, Leeds City Council and WYCA. This is a prime example of how we work collaboratively with partners, to achieve our mission to build much needed new communities that people can be proud to call home.”
Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said: “We are committed to working with partners to increase local levels of affordable and energy efficient housing, so it’s really encouraging to see the progress being made on a scheme that will do exactly that.
“The transformation of this site will also align with our wider efforts to ensure that residential developments in the city centre – and beyond – meet a whole range of housing needs and play their part in delivering regeneration that is truly inclusive.”
Marcus Westmorland, Operations Director at United Living New Homes, said: "We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone at Saxton Lane, which will provide much-needed affordable homes in Leeds.
"We were honoured to have representatives from Leeds City Council and Homes England join us to celebrate this occasion, highlighting this development's importance to the city and its community.
"Working in partnership with WDH and partners, we look forward to progressing the project towards completion in the coming months, delivering a vibrant new neighbourhood and leaving a lasting legacy.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said, “Here in West Yorkshire, we believe that having a safe and secure place to call home is a fundamental right.
“That’s why we’re investing almost £90 million to deliver thousands more affordable and sustainable homes.
“Working with our councils and housing partners, we’re building a greener, more secure region for future generations.”