Work at 26 acre Rastrick site set to begin where 267-homes will be built as part of £34m scheme

Energy, services and regeneration specialist ENGIE will shortly begin work on a energy efficient housing development in Rastrick, after completing contracts with Yorkshire Housing.

ENGIE and Yorkshire Housing worked in partnership to identify the 26 acre site– which is just off Delf Hill and Dewsbury Road – when it initially came to the market in 2018 via land agent Savills.

Planning approval was granted by Calderdale Council in January of this year and all parties have now finalised the technical and pre-planning agreements.

With contracts now completed, ENGIE is expected to begin work on the 267 home scheme this month and the projected build will last four and a half years.

David Parkes, Managing Director at ENGIE, said: “We have been involved with this landmark development from day one, which has allowed us to be part of discussions with key stakeholders to ensure we meet Calderdale Council’s ambition of providing high quality new homes that offer a wide range of options for local people.

“Our strong 12 year partnership with Yorkshire Housing has seen us innovate and evolve our service offering, ensuring these new homes will be built with our ambitions for a zero carbon future in mind. We look forward to beginning work on site and help turn what is an exciting vision into reality.”

The new homes include high efficiency boilers, enhanced levels of insulation, and time and temperature heating zone controls.

All properties will also have the provision for electric vehicle charging points, with several plots also benefitting from photovoltaic solar panels.

Overall, the new homes will exceed the carbon reduction requirements of building regulations by a minimum of 10 per cent.

Councillor Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Resilience, said: “We are excited to be supporting Yorkshire Housing’s development with ENGIE in Rastrick. It will bring much-needed homes to local families. As we continue to fight against climate change, we’re really impressed with the scheme’s range of sustainable features to protect the environment.”

The project will also include bio-diversity enhancements in the form of new tree planting, wildflower meadows, generous areas of public open space and the reinstatement of acid grassland, a rare upland habitat which is rapidly disappearing in the region.