Work has started to construct 152 much-needed affordable homes on the former Leeds City College campus in Horsforth, which has been redundant since closing in 2017.
Leading housing provider Stonewater is working with regeneration specialist Vistry Partnerships to develop The Fold, a mix of family houses and flats for social rent, shared ownership and Rent to Buy.
The £22.5 million development aims to help meet the pressing need for affordable homes for people in Horsforth, which has the highest level of housing demand in the City of Leeds.
During construction of the scheme, contractor Vistry and its sub-contractors will offer apprenticeships to support young jobseekers and develop their skills. In addition, they will also work with local schools to provide careers support and work experience opportunities.
As part of Stonewater’s commitment to developing homes which are not reliant on fossil fuels, all the homes will benefit from the installation of air source heat pumps and solar panels, rather than traditional gas boilers.
In addition, the homes have been designed to accommodate homeworking and feature a dedicated work area. All the houses will benefit from secure private gardens, while the flats will share a communal garden.
The scheme will also include green outdoor spaces – including play and exercise equipment – for residents of all ages to enjoy, plus attractive public artwork made from sustainable materials.
Bird boxes, bat boxes and hedgehog boxes will be located throughout the development, along with new and existing ponds at the site, to encourage local wildlife.
Chris Montague, Director of Development (North and East) at Stonewater, said: “We are pleased to have started groundworks at this exciting new scheme.
“Working with Vistry, we look forward to transforming this disused brownfield site into a high-quality development which will create a vibrant new community and provide more local families and individuals with a place they are proud to call home.”
Jeremy Roberts, Operations Manager at Vistry Partnerships, added: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Stonewater again, on this innovative, sustainable development providing Horsforth with much-needed, quality housing for those most in need.”
The full development will comprise four one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom flats, 11 two-bedroom, 26 three-bedroom and 11 four-bedroom houses for social rent; 16 two-bedroom, 32 three-bedroom and five four-bedroom houses for shared ownership; and 10 two-bedroom, 13 three-bedroom and four four-bedroom houses for Rent to Buy.
Work is expected to complete Autumn 2026.
