Combined Authority agrees funding to help deliver 5,000 affordable and sustainable homes

Today, the Combined Authority, chaired by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, met and took a major step forward in delivering new affordable homes for the people of West Yorkshire.

29 July 2021

The Combined Authority, chaired by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, met and took a major step forward in delivering new affordable homes for the people of West Yorkshire. 

As part of the West Yorkshire Devolution Deal, the region secured £66.7m of funding from the Brownfield Housing Fund to support the development of new homes on brownfield sites by March 2025. Brownfield redevelopment ensures that contaminated land is cleaned up and restored, bringing sites which are often underutilised or derelict back into wider use for local communities, improving the quality of the environment and removing threats to health and safety. 

In addition, the Combined Authority secured £3.2 million of funding through the Devolution Deal to support the development of a list of potential projects for future investment. 

The Combined Authority has been closely working with their partner councils, housing associations and developers to allocate this funding where it is most needed in a demonstration of devolution in action: the region making their own decisions on spend to benefit real people. 

 

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire says: 

 “As someone who grew up in social housing, my primary ambition for housing is to provide at least 5000 affordable homes over the next three years which are well connected, located in sustainable places and built to address the climate emergency. 

We are building a better future for our residents by working together not just as councils, but with housing associations and with developers to reduce the barriers that block this kind of investment and vision.  

But vital to this work is to listen to those in need and act upon what we hear. am sad to say that there are still hundreds of people in our region who desperately need to be rehoused. They deserve good quality accommodation; structurally sound buildings that are safe and can be truly called home. 

“Working alongside other West Yorkshire Leaders is key to achieving my housing pledge for the regionWe recognise that, despite what has been achieved to date, more needs to be done for those who are unable to access housing due to rising house prices. No one should be left without options; no one should be forced into poor quality and expensive rented housing. 

Cllr Denise Jeffery said: 

“As part of the West Yorkshire Devolution Deal, we have secured the £67 million Brownfield Housing Fund, and in addition £3.2 million of funding to develop projects for future investment. We have worked together across West Yorkshire to develop a list of potential projects that will deliver homes in sustainable places, with good access to our towns and cities, helping people to access good jobs at a commutable distance. These funds are key to progressing the delivery of that plan, so we have a better understanding of what we can do to unlock the housing needed across West Yorkshire.”  

 

The Combined Authority meeting took place on Thursday 29 July.