Leeds Council Housing Programme Surpasses 1,000 Homes

Significant progress made in delivering new affordable council homes across Leeds

Leeds City Council’s Council Housing Growth Programme (CHGP) has reached a milestone with more than 1,000 homes built or acquired to provide affordable housing for people on the city’s housing register. The programme aims to offer safe, energy-efficient, and affordable homes to support housing stability for residents across Leeds.

Overview of Housing Delivery

As of the latest figures, a total of 1,116 homes have been delivered through the CHGP. This includes new builds and acquisitions, with over 200 new homes completed in the 12 months leading up to March 2026. When combined with affordable homes delivered by registered providers and through section 106 developer contributions, the total affordable housing delivered in Leeds during 2025/26 reached 943 homes—the highest annual figure in three decades.

The council has committed further funding for the 2026-2031 phase of the CHGP, which is expected to maintain the momentum in affordable housing delivery despite ongoing demand pressures.

Completed and Ongoing Developments

• Middleton: 100 family homes, 16 wheelchair-accessible bungalows, and the 60-apartment Gascoigne House extra care facility on the former Throstle Recreation Ground and Middleton Skills Centre site.
• Gipton: A 55-home scheme across multiple sites including Amberton Terrace, Amberton Crescent, Amberton Street, and Montagu Avenue.
• Seacroft: 25 one-bedroom apartments and eight two- or three-bedroom houses at Brooklands Avenue.

Current construction projects include a 65-apartment extra care development in Armley on the former Middlecross Day Centre site and an 82-home scheme at Hough Top in Swinnow, near Pudsey. Planning applications have also been submitted for affordable housing developments at Richmond Road in Farsley, Wood Lane in Rothwell, and the former Kingsdale Court flats site in Seacroft.

Acquisitions and Funding

Council new-builds account for 43% of homes delivered through the programme, with the remainder acquired from private developers or owners. Recent acquisitions include 41 homes at the Morwick Green development off York Road, spanning the Cross Gates & Whinmoor and Harewood wards. Additional homes have been acquired at Persimmon developments in Laneside Farm (Morley North ward) and Wellington Mount (Cross Gates & Whinmoor ward).

Support from Homes England’s Social and Affordable Homes Programme has enabled these properties to be offered at social rent, the most affordable tenure. The homes acquired include a mix of two- and three-bedroom houses, two-bedroom bungalows, and one- or two-bedroom apartments, all built to high energy efficiency standards.

The initial five-year phase of the CHGP was primarily funded through Right to Buy receipts and borrowing by the council’s housing service. The council’s executive board has allocated a further £200 million for the 2026-2031 phase, which will support continued development of affordable homes, subject to site selection and consultation.

Council Statements

Leeds City Council leader Councillor James Lewis highlighted the council’s commitment to reducing inequality and building thriving communities through the provision of affordable, energy-efficient homes. He acknowledged the milestone reached and reaffirmed the council’s focus on delivering more council housing to improve lives and communities.

Councillor Tom Hinchcliffe, executive member for transport and planning, emphasised the importance of strategic planning and collaboration with registered providers to achieve the highest level of affordable housing delivery in 30 years. He noted that the council is also preparing a new Leeds Local Plan to support further growth in affordable housing.

Definitions

Affordable housing refers to homes available for rent below market value or for low-cost ownership. Rental tenures include:

• Affordable rent: Discounted by at least 20% from the local market rate.
• Social rent: Lower than affordable rent, set by a formula based on local incomes, property size, and value.