St Bartholomew, Leeds

The Diocese of Leeds had been trying to sell a surplus vicarage and community hall at St Bartholomew’s in Armley, Leeds, for around two decades.  For much of this time, the vicarage was occupied by property guardians to keep it from falling into disrepair, or squatters moving in.

Over the years, the diocese received various offers to buy the property, but each one fell through for one reason or another. 

In 2023, inspired by the Coming Home Report, the diocese created a new post of Property Development Manager, and the post holder brought a new focus and energy to managing and disposing of the diocese’s glebe land and ex-benefice sites. 

As he had previously worked with a housing association, the Property Development Manager looked for an RP to take on the site, and eventually 54North Homes, a housing association owned by Karbon Homes, agreed to buy and develop the site.

54 North Homes obtained planning permission to demolish the existing buildings and deliver 28 new affordable homes.  Leeds City Council had just published a report that housing need was high in Armley, with over 800 households on the housing register, many of whom required either two-bed or three-bed family homes.

The housing association aimed to create spacious homes and gardens, retain as many of the trees as possible, and ensure the houses were built to a high level of sustainability. This included air source heat pumps, MVHR systems (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery), solar panels and an electric vehicle charger for each property – a higher specification than most standard market homes!

To design and construct the houses, 54North Homes contracted Ashfield Group, a Wetherby based construction company specialising in residential projects, known for delivering high quality, sustainable homes and supporting clients throughout the process. Ground was broken in October 2024.

An early problem concerned access to the neighbouring Scout Hut along a track that bordered the site. However, after several conversations the dispute was solved and subsequently Ashfield Group supported the Scouts practically by contributing to their energy bills for a 12-month period. The Scouts also made three hedgehog shelters, which were placed around the site.

Construction progressed well to deliver 20 two-bedroom houses, 6 three-bedroom homes and 2 two-bedroom flats, one of which is fully wheelchair adapted. Of the 28 properties, 22 are for social rent tenants, and 6 for shared ownership.

Building design reflected the local vernacular, and mature trees and shrubs were retained to support the existing ecosystem and give the development a sense of history and character. The grassy areas between the groups of houses provide opportunities for socialising and foster a sense of community, creating a good environment in which to live and raise a family.

The latest technology has been incorporated so that the housing association can monitor remotely the air source heat pumps that provide the heating and hot water for the homes, and respond to any faults promptly. Residents can also disable the EV charger in their designated parking place, to prevent unauthorised use.

All initial tenancies – and 60 per cent of subsequent lets – will be offered to people on the council’s housing register. The first three tenant households moved in during February 2026, and the other properties were occupied by the end of March.

The development scores highly against the five values for good housing set out in the Coming Home report: safe, sustainable, stable/affordable, sociable and satisfying.

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The diocese obtained £620k for the freehold of the site which was jointly owned by the diocese and the PCC.

The total construction costs of development came to £5.575 million, and 54North Homes received a grant of £700,000 from Leeds City Council’s commuted sums funding stream. These are contributions which have been paid by developers through legal agreements related to planning approvals in lieu of providing affordable housing on site.

The development is also supported by funding from Homes England, through the Karbon Homes Group’s Strategic Partnership with central government’s housing delivery agency. The strategic partnership has provided Karbon with £165 million to deliver 2,200 new affordable homes across the North East and Yorkshire.

·       The recruitment of a Property Development Manager by Leeds Diocese was a key factor in unlocking the site for affordable housing.

·       The issue of access for the Scout hut was transformed from a problem to an opportunity by the Ashfield team.

·       There are likely to be challenges for tenants in learning how to use the heating system. Unlike gas boilers, which can quickly heat up a cold house, air source heat pumps take much longer to raise the ambient temperature. Similarly, the benefits of the MVHR system in reducing energy bills will only be gained if residents learn when to open and close doors and windows in the house for temperature control.

·       To help the residents feel confident with their new heating system, Ashfield have organised demonstration days to ensure residents are fully familiar with its operation. They have also arranged training for the 54North Homes maintenance team.

The diocese received a substantial sum for the site, which was no longer needed by the parish, and costing a lot to keep secure. 28 families in the Armley area of Leeds have been able to access new, genuinely affordable housing, that is energy efficient and in a spacious setting.