UKREiiF Leeds 2023: Tracy Brabin signs affordable homes partnership for West Yorkshire

The Strategic Place Partnership (SPP) follows successful pilots of the initiative in Greater Manchester and South Essex.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which is overseen by Ms Brabin, has invested £3.2m of its housing revenue fund to build a project pipeline. Sixteen local projects have been identified through the partnership as areas of focus to deliver more homes in the region.

The 16 local projects include three in Bradford, three in Calderdale, three in Kirklees, four in Leeds and three in Wakefield.

The Government has said SPPs are “aimed at sub-regions with the most ambitious proposals for housing growth as part of their broader social, environmental and economic vision for the area”.

Signing the deal at the UKREiiF conference with Homes England chief executive Peter Denton, Ms Brabin said: “I’m so pleased to be stood here with Peter and to be able to move on our ambitions for West Yorkshire to deliver more affordable, sustainable homes.

"It is almost two years since I became Mayor of West Yorkshire and one of my commitments was 5,000 affordable sustainable homes for our region. It is personal. I grew up in social housing and I know the value of a safe, secure tenancy.

"It enabled me to have the life I have had, a life of huge privilege and I want everybody in West Yorkshire to have that same opportunity.”

Mr Denton said he had also lived in social housing and knows how having a secure place to live helps children’s educational achievements.

He said he hopes the partnership will build on the agency’s existing work in places such as Bradford and Dewsbury.

In a separate statement after the event, he said: “We enjoy a fantastic working relationship with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. This Strategic Place Partnership agreement builds on this, helping the Mayor to deliver her housing and regeneration priorities and create thriving new and renewed places that the people of West Yorkshire seek.

“As the national Housing and Regeneration Agency, we are committed to bringing all of our capital, expertise, land, powers and relationships in support of WYCA’s desire to boost place-based growth, prosperity and pride of place.”