Work completes on Leeds housing development set to tackle homelessness

A Leeds homelessness organisation has announced that work has completed on an “innovative” new housing development.

Developed by Leeds homeless charity, St George’s Crypt, the homes are built for people in uncertain housing situations. Designed by Brewster Bye Architects, the development consists of 24, one and two-bedroom, apartments on Hedley Chase in New Wortley.

Don Robins House has been developed in partnership with Leeds City Council, which provided low-cost loan facilities as well as financing 30% of the capital costs through its Right to Buy Replacement Programme.

Chris Fields, CEO at St George’s Crypt, said: “As well as living at Don Robins House for two years, residents will benefit from support and guidance via the development’s training room, where they will develop the confidence and ability to live independently and return to work, which will make living here a unique opportunity.”

Property industry charity, LandAid, which works to end youth homelessness in the UK, also provided a £75k grant for the development.

Vistry Partnerships Yorkshire was the principal contractor, and the development will officially open and welcome its first residents next month.

Seven of the apartments have been specifically adapted for disabled residents and two homes will be allocated to people under the age of 25.

Nathan Wilkinson, a director at Brewster Bye Architects, which has supported St George’s Crypt for more than 20 years, said: “Financing and delivering this development was no mean feat but the support that we’ve received from the city’s property industry has been phenomenal.”

Support and advice for Don Robins House also came from Leeds city living specialists, Jonathan Morgan and Joel Owen from First Choice Homes. In addition, financial support was provided by Crypt Factor, the annual charity singing competition, which the region’s property industry hosts and attends.

The scheme, which was another first for Leeds, is now supporting 14 residents with alcohol dependency issues on the slow road to recovery. They all live in self-contained studio apartments, designed to aid in the development of life skills, boost self-confidence and build self-esteem in a structured setting.