First look at new 'eco' Leeds council housing development featuring 'no gas' and equipped with solar panels

The Healey Croft development, based off Westerton Road in Tingley, was built by Wilmott Dixon on behalf of Leeds City Council.

It was constructed on a former brownfield site, and features nine “new modern and fully insulated properties”, including five two-bed and three three-bed properties.

And the properties are all “no-gas” and equipped with ground source heat pumps and solar panels, according to the council.

The eco properties were built in an effort hit the council’s low carbon targets.

Residents moving in to the properties will also benefit from “significantly warmer homes in comparison to the average private property” because of their insulation, the council added.

The new development is the first of several being built in Leeds over the next three years, as part of the council’s plan to construct a total of 1,500 council houses.

Coun Mohammed Rafique, the council’s executive member for environment and housing, said: “It’s brilliant to see so many new property developments come into fruition. Meeting the city’s housing needs and providing high quality affordable homes in thriving and inclusive communities, with appropriate support for those who need it is a key priority for the council.

“This month we have launched our new housing strategy which sets out our ambitions for the next five years. Significant investment will be going into the social housing stock to maintain and improve quality homes as well as making them more energy efficient.”

Two more council housing developments are set to be completed in Leeds this year.

They include Silk Mill Drive, expected to be finished in August, which is also built on a former brownfield site where four maisonettes were demolished following a gas explosion in 2017.

It will include two three-bed houses.

Meanwhile, a bigger scheme in Holbeck at Meynell Approach is also being built, which will feature 28 properties.

The council said they will be energy efficient homes.

And another development, at Heights Lane in Armley, is due to complete in the next wfew weeks offering 12 new council houses.

Coun Helen Hayden, the council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “It was great to see the new development at Healey Croft this week and I’m looking forward to more developments completing very soon.

"Ensuring that people live in warm, fully insulated properties is absolutely vital given the current cost of living crisis, as well as our ongoing commitment to addressing the climate emergency. These homes certainly work towards our ambition of achieving that.

"Across all these schemes, the importance of local biodiversity has been taken into consideration and to help encourage wildlife, openings in fences and gates will be provided for hedgehogs to travel between gardens and open spaces and bat and bird bricks have also been incorporated across the sites.

Chris Yates, Yorkshire director for Willmott Dixon, contractors of the Healey Croft development, said: “We are really proud to support Leeds City Council in delivering these energy efficient family homes. In doing so we have made sure this is a project built for the local community by the community, investing £1.9m with businesses based within 20 miles of the project."