Work begins on new housing development in Calderdale

The scheme of seven apartments on Industrial Road has been designed for people with learning disabilities, enabling them to live independently with floating support where required.

One of the apartments will be wheelchair accessible and the others will be adaptable.

The development is the latest to start on site as part of the partnership between Together Housing Group and Calderdale Council, which aims to invest £70 million in the area over the next five years.

Other developments in the area include:

- 10 homes on Bradford Road in Bailiff Bridge, Brighouse, comprising seven two-bedroom houses and three three-bedroom houses. Work started in March and the development is due for completion in June 2019.

- 10 homes on Belle Vue Road in Shelf comprising four two-bedroom houses and six three-bedroom houses. Work started in March and the development is due for completion spring 2019.

- Rooley Heights, Sowerby Bridge – 28 homes for affordable rent in a mix of 12 two-bedroom houses, 14 three-bedroom houses and two two-bedroom bungalows.

Together Housing says these new developments will help to address the housing crisis in the area where the average house price is over six times the average income at £160,947.

The mean annual income is only £25,126 compared to the £36,788 required to secure the average mortgage, meaning workers in the area would need a 46.4 pay rise to be able to afford to get on the property ladder.

Hilary Brady, Head of Development for Together Housing Group, said: “Housing delivery in Calderdale has not been at the levels we would aspire to and more recently we have been unable to meet the needs of an increasing population. By finding sites to develop new affordable homes we can increase our housing supply in

Calderdale to offer tenancy security and well maintained homes for our residents.”

Coun Daniel Sutherland, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Environment, added: “We’re committed to increasing the number of high-quality affordable homes in Calderdale providing more options for people to own or rent properties as well as regenerating our local areas.

“This new scheme in Sowerby Bridge will also help people continue to live independently with specially designed features and support when needed.

“We’re really pleased to be working with Together Housing on this and other upcoming schemes, helping to make Calderdale a place where people want to live,

work, visit and invest.”