Development And Regeneration
Regeneration Projects
As a major affordable landlord and developer in Yorkshire we have had a key role in regeration projects across the region. We are committed to working hand in hand with communities, local authorities and other partners to seek innovative and practical solutions to areas with problems of poor housing, crime and deprivation.
Swarcliffe PFI
As a partner in Yorkshire Transformations, we are proud to be involved in this project to regenerate the Swarcliffe Estate in Leeds. The project is a 5 year plan to improve and refurbish around 1500 homes on the estate, as well as introducing a new parking and homezone scheme. Parallel with the project Yorkshire Housing is developing 148 new affordable homes on the estate to replace old and unsatisfactory housing which has now been demolished.
Primrose Hill, Huddersfield
Yorkshire Housing has been working in partnership with Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing (KNH) in this deprived area of Huddersfield to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour and other social problems. As a central part of this we have demolished a number of "problem properties" and we are now in the proess of replacing these with a cutting-edge environmentally sustainable new development of 79 homes. Other initiatives are working with the local community to achieve a new local play area, and a scheme to provide solar power across the neighbourhood, part funded by the DTI and EU "Sun Cities" scheme.
More details about Primrose Hill...
West Leeds Gateway
YH is involved in the wider regeneration in Leeds and is a member on the Gateway regeneration board. The intention is to build up and be involved in the long term plans to improve the area through public and private investment. Mistress Lane Design competition was held to kickstart this process and Yorkshire Housing was involved in the decision making process to choose the winning design and promote the progression of this type of development to the existing residents in the West Leeds area.
Gilpins Workshop/Mini Masterplan
To pull all these strands together and ensure a holistic approach to the challenges this area poses YH is leading on a mini masterplanning exercise for the Gilpins. Working with key stakeholders the intention is to identify the problems and opportunities of the neighbourhood and compile a plan of agreed action for improvements in the area. It is expected that the mini masterplanning will include a wide range of initiatives from new build housing development, home zoning, future uses of the shops, neighbourhood watch and other community based schemes.
Our involvement in the mini - masterplanning is to protect our current assets in this area by ensuring the lives of our residents are sustained and improved in as broad a sense as possible. It is also intended to maximise future development opportunities, either directly in the geographic area or indirectly through our involvement with the range of partners to progress projects in geographic areas or tackling similar issues.
Gilpins – Community Safety
The Gilpins area has a poor reputation among people that live and work there in relation to feeling safe and secure, especially at night. To try to address this perception background work is being done with police, youth service, community wardens and other related agencies to tackle the problems. YH is an active leader and partner in improving this quality of life issue for our own and neighbouring residents.
Leeds Youthbuild
Leeds Youthbuild are a newly developing charitable organisation whose mission is to provide opportunities for jobs in construction to the socially excluded young people in Leeds. Youthbuild has a strong partnership, involving Housing Associations, Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO), Renew, private sector developers and education providers on a local and regional scale. YH is involved with this project as a founder and board member, leasing properties to enable training and a sustainable income to the property and hopefully in the future involving any Young people living in YH properties opportunity on the scheme.
Fairfield
Leeds West Homes are running a clearance scheme on a large estate in Leeds. Yorkshire Housing is involved in the design and consultation stages of the process to provide new affordable housing on the site for rent and private sale.
Tong Road Shops
YH completed a refurbishment of flats above the shops in the Wortley area of West Leeds. In addition to the flats three of the shops underneath were brought into YH ownership. The shops are currently unused and in a poor state, which has a negative impact on the physical appearance of the area and is a wasted retail or business resource in the area.
It is intended to refurbish the shops to an acceptable standard, which can then be let out to a voluntary or community agency to provide services that will bring benefits to the surrounding area. The initial idea is to open a food co-operative providing fresh, locally sourced products to the immediate area and wider Leeds using a deliver scheme. There are a number of potential benefits from the development of the shops, in terms of the physical appearance of the street scene, employment and training opportunities for staff to run the project and the provision of healthy products in an area which is currently described as a ‘food desert’.
St Mary’s Sheltered Scheme
St Mary’s Bloomers is a group of elderly residents and visiting family members who are setting up a group to work together to create a community garden in the scheme. It will be open to all residents and visitors, to either volunteer to help with the work of starting and maintaining the community garden or just to come and enjoy the garden.
Healthy Living Activities
The Healthy Living Network have been running activities for the elderly residents to promote and deliver health related activities in a fun way. They have made smoothies, run quizzes, done chair aerobics, hand massage and provided advice and information on a wide range of health issues for the elderly. The workers and volunteers at the HLN will also be helping with the garden project.
Staff have also attended sessions with the HLN workers to find out more about healthier eating, exercise and other lifestyle issues related to health.
Goole New Tools
A partnership of organisations including Yorkshire Housing Group, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Headrow Housing Association, English Churches Housing Association, English Partnerships and the Regional Housing Board has been established to tackle housing stress in Goole. It is intended that this will be linked, through Investment Planning, to a wider Urban Renaissance approach to the town.
The overall Advance Goole scheme proposes to achieve the following:
(i) The declaration of a Statutory Renewal Area, committing the Authority to a 10 year programme of housing action in Goole
(ii) The removal of excess supply of low demand, low quality private houses through the clearance of 116 dwellings
(iii) The removal of unsuitable or derelict commercial property
(vi) Projects to stimulate demand in sustainable areas and assist existing residents maintain their properties
(v) Projects to encourage owner occupation
(vi) The licensing of private landlords (when the current Housing Bill receives Royal assent)