Citu delivers first Aire Lofts homes
Situated in Leeds’ Climate Innovation District, the developer is working with provider Leeds Community Homes on the social housing part of the scheme.
When complete, Aire Lofts will comprise 108 homes. Eight one- and two-bedroom apartments have now been completed. The affordable homes element of the scheme will ultimately comprise 16 apartments.
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, close to Leeds city centre.
The key point of the scheme is its zero carbon sustainability credentials. All the apartments’ interiors feature concrete floors, exposed pipework and maximum natural light in a stripped-back approach where every apartment will offer south-facing windows.
A new green space is to open soon including a football pitch and outdoor cooking facilities.
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.”
As well as the Climate Innovation District, Citu is busy on Attercliffe Waterside, a 23-acre regeneration project in Sheffield.
