Deal agreed for regeneration at heart of rundown city areas

Talks have been taking place between the Government and Leeds Council leaders over the future of the long awaited regeneration of housing in parts of Little London, Beeston Hill and Holbeck.

The council had hoped to start work on site this summer on a project which will provide 400 new council homes and see the refurbishment of 1,300 more council properties alongside other community and environmental improvements. The scheme is a 20-year private finance initiative (PFI) contract.

However, the project was held up by the Government’s budget review in October and Leeds Council chiefs were then asked to look into slimming down the plans in a bid to make further savings on the final costs.

After negotiations described by councillors as “tough”, the council put in a revised proposal to the Government and a housing minister has now indicated that he is satisfied that the council’s project represents value for money.

The project still needs the Treasury to sign off its final business case but the council is now in a position to consult residents on the fine detail of the new proposals.

The Government’s review has required the council to make one significant change to the scope of the project, according to councillors.

The planned upgrade of community facilities in the central “community hub” of Little London has had to be dropped for the time being.

This means that 12 new flats planned for the site will also not now be developed. The existing shops, community centre and housing office will be retained.

A council spokesman said it would work with residents to “identify short-term improvements to the existing facilities at the community hub and opportunities for longer term redevelopment and reprovision”.

The spokesman added; “The Council remains committed to the comprehensive regeneration of Little London.”

Despite the scaling back of the regeneration scheme, councillors said they were delighted the revised scheme had been given Government backing.

Labour councillor Peter Gruen, deputy leader of Leeds Council and executive member for neighbourhoods, housing and regeneration, said: “This is excellent news. I understand that Leeds is the first of all the schemes that were held up to get the green light, which I believe indicates the strength of the scheme.

“The two communities have been waiting for a very long time for the improvements in their area and have obviously been worried that all their hard work would come to nothing.

“I share their frustration, but this announcement allows us to move closer to getting started on the regeneration of Little London and Beeston Hill and Holbeck, even though we have had to accept some cuts in the project.

“I would like to thank the communities for their patience and I would also like to thank the local councillors, Hilary Benn MP and the Homes and Communities Agency for their efforts to speed this process up. I am now optimistic that we will soon be in a position to get started on delivering the improvements that these communities are so desperate to see.”

Councillor Angela Gabriel, chairman of the local area committee, said: “I am absolutely delighted that we are a step closer to this fantastic scheme.

“The new houses will help regenerate the entire area as well as bringing social and environmental benefits and it is great news for all local residents.

The news comes as a relief after so many months of uncertainty and I am looking forward to the improvements that the Beeston Hill and Holbeck area will see.”