West Yorkshire Housing Partnership reaches major milestone
The West Yorkshire Housing Partnership – whose members include Incommunities and other housing associations across the region – has published their first annual report which highlights work being done to put housing front and centre throughout West Yorkshire.
We’ve been proud members of the partnership since it was formed in 2020. The group was created to work with the first directly elected mayor, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and local authorities to achieve five integrated ambitions that ensure that the need for affordable homes in West Yorkshire is met and that housing is a priority for the region following the devolution deal agreed with the Government.
The partnership secured more than 2,000 affordable homes for West Yorkshire last year and has already identified a collective development pipeline which will see them deliver over 5,000 new homes over the next two years.
Building new homes is one of the key ambitions of the partnership, alongside tackling the climate emergency, regenerating local areas, connecting people to economic opportunity, and supporting health, care and homelessness.
The report also highlights the partnerships work to tackle the climate emergency.
Alongside the need to build more affordable homes, decarbonisation is one the biggest challenges facing the housing sector, with over one third of the energy supply in West Yorkshire being used in people’s homes. The past twelve months have seen the West Yorkshire Housing Partnership collate data on the current energy efficiency of their properties which led to a joint bid to the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
Regeneration is also high up on the agenda for the partnership, making good use of brownfield sites. Members have so far delivered over 450 homes on derelict areas across West Yorkshire.
Over the next year the partnership will continue to work with the Local Authority Directors of Development to identify a shared development pipeline. They also plan to look at ways that combine their skills, expertise, and purchasing power to invest in solar PV and battery storage technology to help make West Yorkshire the green capital of the UK.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: "As someone who grew up in a council flat in Birstall, I understand the value of a safe, affordable and secure home. That’s why I’m committed to delivering 5000 affordable and sustainable homes over my mayoral term.
"The report highlights all the fantastic work being done by the West Yorkshire Housing Partnership and I’m really proud to support their ambitious and much-needed work. By working together, we can ensure the housing sector meets the needs of the people of West Yorkshire; and I look forward to developing an inclusive housing strategy that works for everyone across our region."