According to new data from West Yorkshire Combined Authority, more affordable homes have been constructed in the county over the course of the last two years than in any other period since 2010.
The data has also found that almost a quarter of the homes that have been delivered over the last 12 months have been affordable, with this representing a greater proportion than in Greater Manchester or the West Midlands. This news comes following an announcement from West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin that plans are in place to deliver more than 1,000 new homes across the region.
These homes will be unlocked thanks to support from the Brownfield Housing Fund, with £15 million set to be approved for construction projects in Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds and Wakefield.
Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin commented:
“Britain is in the grip of the worst housing crisis in living memory, with millions of working people struggling to afford their mortgages, rents and heating bills, and rough sleeping also on the rise.
“In West Yorkshire, we believe that every single person has a fundamental right to a safe and secure place to call home, so we’re bringing forward urgent plans to deliver hundreds of new homes across our region.
“But to build new houses on the scale that we need, Government must untether us from the inflexible, centralised rules that hold up brownfield land developments, so that we can build a brighter, more vibrant West Yorkshire that works for all.”
A number of measures will be employed by the new homes, as they look to ensure that less money is spent on bills, whilst more than 350 of them are set to be affordable. This project was announced as part of Mayor Brabin’s ‘regional mission to deliver a happy West Yorkshire, full of great places and healthy communities.’
Leader of Wakefield Council Denise Jeffrey, who is also Chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Place, Housing and Regeneration Committee, said:
“I’m delighted we’re able to bring forward plans for hundreds of new, much-needed homes across West Yorkshire.
“But this is not the ceiling of our ambition – by 2040, we want to have built enough affordable, sustainable, and high-quality homes for everyone in West Yorkshire.
“That means building on our historic agreement with Homes England and boosting our partnerships with housing providers, as we look to deliver a happy region that works for all.”
Further housebuilding could be unlocked, with regional leaders hoping that ongoing negotiations for deeper devolution can provide more local control over brownfield development.
Image credit: iStock
