About Swarcliffe PPFI
Yorkshire Transformations, a partnership between Carillion the builder, the Bank of Scotland and Yorkshire Housing Group, has a vision for Swarcliffe.
Our vision is to transform Swarcliffe by:
- Creating a place where people want to live, which is safe and secure.
- Unifying the estate, linking distinctive neighbourhoods with new roads while retaining the best of what is already there.
- Improving rented and owned homes.
- Improving services and facilities including those for older people and the young.
Our plans are bold and innovative.
They are focused upon giving local people what they want, and what they have asked for.
Big Improvements
We plan to spend millions of pounds transforming the face of Swarcliffe. There will be big changes and everyone will benefit. Plans include:
- New windows, new heating systems and new kitchens and bathrooms for all council homes, with tenants having lots of choice, and all within five years.
- Improvements to the electric's, structure, external appearance and off-road parking for many homes.
- A new road layout, making it easier to get around the estate but designed to slow cars down. New roads will be tree-lined, helping Swarcliffe to feel greener.
- 'Homezone' parking areas in many of the Radburn courtyards (like Sledmere, Farndale and Langbar Squares) which will give safe and secure parking in front of homes. Click here to find out more about Homezones.
- A new 'heart' for the estate, with shops and new neighbourhood office.
- New homes, many for sale but some for rent to local people.
- The planting of hundreds of new trees and enhancement of Cock Beck.
- Day to day services for tenants will be improved, appointments for council house repairs, dedicated benefits and many opportunities to get involved.
- An estate warden will keep an eye on litter and grounds maintenance.
- Training and jobs in building trades, especially for the young.
 |
 |
 |
|
Says Roy Wallington, Director of Yorkshire Metropolitan Housing: "Our proposals aim to enhance what is already great about Swarcliffe while at the same time addressing obvious problems. Everyone will see the benefits: homes to be proud of; a greener, cleaner and more pleasant estate; improved and more secure car parking. We want to work with local people to transform Swarcliffe." |
|
 |
|
 |
Who's Who at Yorkshire Transformations
Yorkshire Transformations has brought together leaders in social housing, building and banking to deliver the Swarcliffe Housing Project. Our partnership has one aim: to improve the homes and lives of people living in Swarcliffe.- The Yorkshire Housing Group is the largest Housing Association dedicated only to Yorkshire. It owns and manages 9,000 homes, with an office in Leeds City Centre serving our 500 homes in the city.
- Carillion is a £1.5 billion turnover construction services company with offices on Elland Road and currently provides building and maintenance services for seven Leeds Schools through a PPFI project.
- The Bank of Scotland is the UK market leader in the provision of finance for all forms of housing investment.
Cars, Roads & Safety
We want to make it easier for residents and their visitors to get into Swarcliffe, easier for them to find their way around, but we are also determined that it will be safe for pedestrians and secure for car parking.
We propose:- A new road along the line of the existing Whinmoor Way, including grassed verges and trees, creating a tree-lined avenue.
- Opening up of existing dead end roads and connecting them to the Avenue.
- Homezone parking for many of the Radburn courtyards.
- Maximising the potential for car parking within the boundary of the home.
- To retain and improve garage courts where they are needed, focusing on small courts which are less of a target for anti-social behaviour.
We also hope to stop-up some ginnels by enlarging selected gardens, where access and refuse collection arrangements will allow.
Security at the back of homes will also be addressed:- Where backland areas exist we hope to improve lighting and make better use of them, overcoming the security problems associated with them being poorly overlooked and unlit.
- The homes that back onto Cock Beck will benefit from increased security through defensive planting.
- Many homes will have new fencing or railings to gardens.
New Homes and Shops
Selective demolition will remove unwanted homes and create the opportunity for building 400 new homes for sale and to rent. New homes for sale will be built by private house developers while the Yorkshire Housing Group will build affordable housing. Our plans for Langbar Parade will make a real difference. Shops and a new Neighbourhood Housing Office will be built, alongside a convenience store. Together this will create a vibrant commercial 'heart' to the estate, a place which people will want to visit. Other shops at Swarcliffe and Stanks Parades will be refurbished.
Green and Open Spaces
We want to green up Swarcliffe and provide sport and recreation opportunities for the whole community. Large, semi mature trees will be planted across the estate. Semi-mature trees are more robust, less likely to be damaged and vandalised, have the benefit of providing an immediate impact, making the area much greener instantly. We will provide three new robust play areas catering for all ages.
We also hope to provide opportunites for health and fitness activities for the whole community; for example, making use of Cock Beck for jogging or walking as well as for nature conservation. The large green spaces at the edge of the estate will be treated with swathes of semi natural woodland planting creating a woodland buffer to the busy highways. And for the residents of Sherburn Court, a private garden so they can relax out of doors
Benefits for All
We expect that the way we will work with and for the community will result in added benefits that address the diverse needs of individuals and groups in Swarcliffe.- Our proposals for the improvement of homes place great emphasis upon affordable warmth.
- We intend that all this building work is an ideal opportunity for skills development and employment opportunities.
- The opportunity for new tenants to rent furniture and household appliances will help young households set up for the first time.
- Our proposals for tenant and community involvement will ensure that we work in partnership with local people and empower them to achieve their aims and ambitions and develop ownership of where they live to create lasting change.
