Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves has recently visited a major Leeds housing development site to meet the housing association, the contractor and some of the local people involved in a unique partnership that will create homes and jobs across the city.

The £11 million Fairfield scheme, which comprises of six sites in Bramley, Leeds, is being developed by local housing landlord Accent Foundation, part of Accent Group. Accent was chosen by Leeds City Council as part of the council’s strategic affordable housing partnership to deliver 350 new homes across the city. 

Accent Foundation is now working with construction partner Southdale at Fairfield to deliver affordable homes for both rent and shared ownership for local families, people over the age of 55 and people with special needs. The scheme will consist of 98 two, three and four bedroom homes for affordable rent, with a further 34 available for shared ownership sale. They will be ready in early 2011.

What makes these homes different from any others currently being built in Leeds are the jobs and opportunities they will create for local people. When housing development is funded by the Homes and Communities Agency, (HCA), the government’s national housing and regeneration agency, it is a requirement of any development contract that contractors provide opportunities for local employment. Under this contract, Accent and Southdale, which has delivered over £250 million worth of homes across Yorkshire, the North West, North East and the Midlands, must create a minimum of 10 new jobs for local residents, and five apprenticeships for local trainees. The trainees must come through specialised projects or from organisations that work with disadvantaged youths.

Accent and Southdale will work together closely together to ensure that the jobs are fair and representative of the local community, and that trainees are properly mentored through Accent’s specialist training business, Accent Regeneration and Community Partnerships.

MP for Leeds West and Shadow Minister for the Department for Work and Pensions Rachel Reeves said, “Building more affordable housing should be a very high priority for this government. I was very happy to hear that these new homes are being built in Bramley. I was also happy to hear that local people are being employed, apprentices are being trained, and that local businesses are being used, all as a result of this development, which began under the last Labour government. I thank Accent Foundation for their work on this site, and will take a close interest in how the project goes.”

Accent Group Chief Executive Gordon Perry said: “When housing development is funded by the Homes and Communities Agency, (HCA), the government’s national housing and regeneration agency, it is now a requirement for new developments to provide opportunities for local employment. Accent has always firmly believed in this principle and, as a leader in this field, we have established and provided many training and employment programmes for over 10 years. Our work at Fairfield is a shining example of training and employment for local people, and we will continue to work closely with the HCA, Leeds City Council and Southdale to maximise our trainees’ opportunities. I am very much looking forward to seeing the homes completed in spring 2011.” 

Shane O’Brien is one of the Accent trainees working on the site. He said: “I’m learning bricklaying and I’m really enjoying it. I have worked before, but I was made redundant, and I then decided I wanted to learn a building trade. I’m going to work hard because I want to do well. My aim is, when I eventually own my own house, to build my own conservatory.”

Paul Moore, managing director for Southdale, said: “Although we’ve recently expanded into new public build sectors such as medical centres and schools, ambitious social housing projects such as Fairfield remain at the heart of our business and an area where we can bring over 20 years of building expertise, experience and skills. We’re also extremely proud and excited to be working with Accent to help leave a positive legacy in the local area, through the creation of at least 10 employment and training opportunities for local residents and apprentices.”