Sustainable property company CITU has delivered its first affordable homes within the Aire Lofts apartment scheme, at the heart of the pioneering, multi award-winning Climate Innovation District in Leeds.

Working in partnership with social housing provider Leeds Community Homes (LCH), eight one and two-bedroom apartments are now available with the first residents set to move in imminently. This tranche is part of Aire Lofts and is the first of three phases of affordable homes being developed at the Climate Innovation District which will ultimately offer a total of 16 homes within the community. Three homes in this phase are being marketed as shared ownership* opportunities with the remainder available through social rent agreements.

CITU has been working with LCH since 2016 to incorporate social housing as an integral part of the Climate Innovation District which is being delivered on the banks of the River Aire, just a few minutes’ walk from the city centre. The LCH-managed homes of course enjoy the same industry-leading specification and sustainable credentials as their neighbours, with high performing energy efficiency in all the homes which are designed and manufactured on site.

The homes offer city centre living combined seamlessly with zero carbon sustainability credentials. All the apartments’ interiors feature a high-quality finish with concrete floors, exposed pipework and maximum natural light. It’s a ‘less but better’, stripped back aesthetic and bold design that has attracted industry accolades and the thriving, growing community already resident at the District.

Once complete, Aire Lofts will consist of 108 one and two-bedroom apartments, with a handful of bespoke penthouses. These have been designed around open, shared outdoor spaces, including a large central green, purposefully bringing residents together to create a social and inclusive community. Every apartment also benefits from south-facing windows to maximise natural light and fresh air, and abundant green space with plants, many of them edible, surrounding the building. A new green space is also set to open imminently with a football pitch, outdoor cooking facilities and a tennis wall for residents to enjoy.

CITU’s in-house design team maximised the internal space of the apartments by eliminating corridors to create spacious, airy and bright rooms with apartments enjoying dual aspect views of Leeds cityscape.

CITU Managing Director Jonathan Wilson said: “CITU is a zero-carbon, place-maker and developer with creativity and design at its core. Often developments treat affordable housing as an inconvenient add-on to be accommodated, rather than an opportunity to build a truly inclusive and diverse community where every person has something of value to contribute.

“We focus on making sustainable living, and inclusive design completely accessible we will of course do the right thing for the right reasons this approach has been rooted in the Climate Innovation District from when the very first home was built. Ultimately, it is about creating a beautiful and sustainable future for all of our residents, irrespective of the journey that brought them here.”

Jimm Reed, LCH Development Director added: “Since the very beginning we have enjoyed a close relationship with CITU and have been really encouraged by their vision of a truly inclusive community where everyone is welcome. You can see that already even with the District only part-occupied, it really is an incredible place.

“As well as the properties available via social rent, we also have three apartments allocated for shared ownership. These are an excellent opportunity for people in Leeds who can’t otherwise afford it to get a foot on the first rung of the property ladder, in an award-winning development, which is such a rarity in a prime city centre location.”

*Shared ownership allows a first-time buyer to purchase up to 75% of the property and pay rent on the remaining part. Anyone interested in shared ownership at Aire Lofts, can find out more at https://leedscommunityhomes.org.uk/climate-innovation-district/

Some of the first homes built to a new pioneering energy-efficient standard have been unveiled in Nottinghamshire.

The Keepmoat housing development, built to the indicative version of the Future Homes Standard, has been given the seal of approval by the new Housing and Communities Minister.

The collection of 33 homes use air source heat pumps for their hot water and heating, have solar panels, electric vehicle charging points and increased insulation compared to homes built to existing standards.

The homes are also fully electrified, meaning they will be zero-carbon in use once the electricity grid decarbonises.

Following her visit at the Gedling Green development, located at the site of the former Gedling Colliery, Minister for Housing and Communities Baroness Penn said:  “It was fantastic to visit the Gedling Green development in Nottingham and see first-hand the future of energy efficient homes.

“The Future Homes Standard will not only make homes more energy efficient, reducing energy bills compared to a typical home, but crucially will reduce carbon emissions, supporting us in our goal to reach Net Zero by 2050.” 

Tim Beale, CEO at Keepmoat added: “We were thrilled to host Baroness Penn at our Gedling Green development in Nottingham where all the homes have been built to meet the requirements of the Future Homes Standard ahead of its introduction in 2025. Gedling Green is the first development in the UK to offer homes built to this specification for sale on the open market. 

“The Sales Centre at this development includes an area dedicated to educating customers about the key features and technologies. This will support our customers in achieving a significant reduction in energy bills compared to a typical new home built to the previous regulatory standards.”

From 2025, the Future Homes Standard, currently being consulted on by the Government, will become mandatory and ensure that new homes produce, on average, upwards of 75% less CO2 emissions than those built to the 2013 standards.

This will ensure new homes are more energy efficient, leading to a reduction in energy bills , compared to typical existing homes, and help the Government meets its Net Zero target.

From 2025, new homes will be future proofed with low carbon heating and very high fabric standards and will be ‘zero-carbon ready’, meaning no further work will be required for them to become zero-carbon when the electricity grid decarbonises.