First families move into new Armley homes on site of former factory

The 50 homes have been built on the former Tower Works factory site off Moorfield Road, which had stood empty for years.

Now, the first five properties are ready and occupied, with the rest due for completion by the end of the year.

Delivered by Yorkshire Housing and Termrim Construction, with support from Leeds City Council and Homes England, the scheme includes a mix of one to four-bedroom houses and apartments – all for affordable or social rent.

Eighteen of the homes will be available at social rent, and 60 per cent of initial and future lets are reserved for people on the council’s housing register.

The homes have been built to high energy-efficiency standards, including solar panels and smart hot water tanks designed to help reduce energy bills.

Cllr Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council’s executive member for housing, said: “This is exactly the kind of development we want to see more of - high-quality, affordable homes in communities that need them, and built in a way that keeps long-term costs down for tenants.”

The council has invested £750,000 into the project, which forms part of a wider effort to tackle the city’s housing shortage.

It comes shortly after the first families moved into new council homes in Gipton, at the Ambertons development – another key milestone in the council’s housebuilding programme.

Sian Webster, from Yorkshire Housing, said the Armley scheme is part of a much bigger push.

She said: “We’re working to build 8,000 affordable homes across Yorkshire, and over half of them are already complete. This site in Armley is a great example of what’s possible when everyone pulls together.”

Leeds has delivered nearly 3,000 affordable homes over the past five years - more than any major city outside London - with plans in place for hundreds more each year through a mix of council, housing association, and private-sector developments.