New year, new homes for council tenants in Bramley

A former pub site in Bramley in Leeds has been successfully transformed into new council housing as part of Leeds City Council’s housing growth scheme.

The Cardigan Green development comprising of eight two-bedroom homes has now been finished on the site of the former Lord Cardigan pub, which was demolished in 2012 as part of the council’s derelict and nuisance programme.

Local developer RDF Building Services Ltd then redeveloped the space as part of an agreement which has seen the council buy the new homes in order to provide affordable new accommodation for rent by tenants on the Leeds Homes Register.

All of the properties have been built to the best possible energy-efficiency and quality design standards, with triple-glazing and high levels of insulation installed to help keep fuel bills low and limit the impact on the environment. Residents also benefit from their own gardens and allocated off-street parking.

The properties are now in the process of being let, with Lewis Mitchell, his fiancée Amy Weatherill and their two-year-old son Colby being amongst the first new tenants when they moved in on 11 December.

Lewis Mitchell said:

“It was a bit stressful but good to be moved in before Christmas. It’s nice and warm, spacious with big rooms and it’s really nice to have a garden as the place we were in before didn’t have one. Colby loves being out in the garden, being able to run around.

“It’s good to be near family too, that’s what we wanted. We’re settled in now and it’s worked out really well.”

As well as building its own council housing, purchasing homes from developers to let is part of the council’s aim to provide 1,000 new homes in the coming years through the housing growth scheme, especially in areas where there is high demand. The programme is also part of the council’s broader aim to see brownfield land redeveloped and to use new housing to boost regeneration.

Leeds City Council executive member for communities Councillor Debra Coupar said:

“This new Cardigan Green development is a great example of our commitment to providing much-needed high-quality and affordable rental accommodation in Leeds. It is fantastic to see the homes completed with new tenants moving in and enjoying all they have to offer.”

Leeds City Council executive member for regeneration, transport and planning Councillor Richard Lewis said:

“A development like Cardigan Green perfectly demonstrates what the housing growth scheme is all about, taking a former derelict brownfield site and transforming it into high-quality new homes to offer attractive affordable housing in our communities. Working with local developers as well as building new homes ourselves, we want to see many more such developments completed across Leeds in the coming months and years.“

RDF Building Services Ltd Managing Director Michael Brearey said:

“Everyone at RDF is extremely proud to have been involved with the scheme that was developed and completed in partnership with Leeds City Council. We were assisted and supported by Adrian Dean, principal regeneration officer for Leeds City Council, who exceeded his responsibilities to ensure that the tenants were able to get the best home possible.

“The RDF team, on and off site, worked diligently to ensure the highest levels of quality were delivered and we would like the opportunity to work on more of these schemes with Leeds City Council in the future to assist with housing demand."

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Roger Boyde

Leeds City Council communications,

Email: roger.boyde@leeds.gov.uk

Tel: 0113 247 5472