Belle Isle: Vandal-hit social club revamp with £1.7m housing development

Work is due to start on the former site of the vandalised West Grange Road Social Club to turn the site into 16 new homes for social rent as part of a £1.7 million regeneration project.

Leeds City Council working in partnership with Leeds Federated Housing Association, the Homes and Communities Agency and the Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation will provide much needed homes and bungalows for social rent in the area.

The development will provide 10 new two, three and four-bed family homes along with six bungalows. All the homes will be built to high standards, with energy and environmental improvements including solar photovoltaic panels to generate electricity.

Work will commence on site in April 2012, with the development due for completion in March 2013.

Councillor Peter Gruen, Leeds City Council executive board member with responsibility for neighbourhoods, housing and regeneration said:

 “The new development will be welcomed in the area as the West Grange Road Social Club had been subjected to vandalism and anti-social behaviour for a number of years.

“It is fantastic that this development will provide new homes for families in the area, and help reduce the number of applicants on the housing waiting list.”

The homes will meet btough environmental targets, and lower the running costs of heating and lighting in a bid to safeguard tenants from fuel poverty.

Matthew Walker, Chief Executive at Leeds Federated Housing Association said:

“We are delighted to be starting work on site to provide 16 much needed new homes for social rent in the Belle Isle area.

“As well as achieving excellent design standards, we have placed great importance on making the new homes as affordable as possible both from a rental and energy cost point of view.”