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Housing

Affordable Housing Development in Cleckheaton to Provide 180 Homes

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A £47.3m housing development that was once criticized for lacking affordable homes will now be composed entirely of them. The updated plans for 180 homes at Westgate, Cleckheaton, were presented at Kirklees Council's Strategic Planning Committee meeting. The site was originally submitted by Strata Homes, a market housing developer, with a viability assessment stating it could not achieve a reasonable profit by making 20% of the site's properties affordable. The council approved the original plans with 6.6% affordable housing provision, sparking criticism from local councillor Kath Pinnock. However, the site has since been purchased by the Thirteen Group, a registered provider of affordable housing, which intends to deliver all 180 units as affordable properties.

Key Takeaways:

  • The £47.3m housing development at Westgate, Cleckheaton, will now be composed entirely of affordable homes, with 180 units to be delivered by the Thirteen Group.
  • The site was originally submitted by Strata Homes with a viability assessment stating it could not achieve a reasonable profit by making 20% of the site's properties affordable.
  • The original plans were approved with 6.6% affordable housing provision, sparking criticism from local councillor Kath Pinnock.
  • The Thirteen Group has purchased the site and intends to deliver 110 units for affordable rent and 70 units for shared ownership.
  • Strata Homes will still be constructing the development, which will include a mix of two, three, and four-bedroomed units.
  • The development is receiving financial support from Homes England's Affordable Homes Programme and is expected to be completed in late 2028.
  • Kirklees Council's Cabinet Member for Finance and Regeneration, Cllr Graham Turner, praised the development, stating it will play an important role in meeting housing need in the north of the district.
  • Thirteen Group's Director of Development and Partnerships, Sharon Thomas, emphasized the importance of providing affordable housing for people in Kirklees, with funding support from Homes England.
  • Strata Homes' Chief Growth Officer, Mark Leaf, highlighted the positive impact of the development on the local community and provided much-needed new homes.

Statistics:

  • £47.3m: The estimated cost of the housing development at Westgate, Cleckheaton.
  • 180: The number of units to be delivered by the Thirteen Group.
  • 110: The number of units for affordable rent.
  • 70: The number of units for shared ownership.
  • 20%: The affordable housing provision that the site's viability assessment stated could not be achieved.
  • 6.6%: The affordable housing provision approved in the original plans.
  • 2028: The expected completion date of the development.
  • 1,730: The number of new homes needed each year in Kirklees.
  • 1,000+ homes: The number of affordable homes Thirteen Group has already developed in Kirklees.

Sources:

  • Kirklees Council's Strategic Planning Committee meeting notes
  • Interview with Cllr Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Regeneration
  • Statement by Sharon Thomas, Thirteen Group's Director of Development and Partnerships
  • Interview with Mark Leaf, Chief Growth Officer at Strata Homes

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