Cocoa Works Clarion

One major housing development is bringing forward multiple projects across the region – transforming forgotten land into places to live and work.

Clarion Housing Group – who’re speaking at our upcoming North Yorkshire Development Plans Event – are regenerating the former Rowntree Factory into a new community The Cocoa Works. The site has remained derelict for more than 10 years and the scheme is set to be completed in 2022.

Richard Cook, Group Development Director at Clarion Housing Group, said: “The Cocoa Works in York is a unique scheme for our business on an iconic site which has huge regional and even global significance. We have a wonderful opportunity as a business to reimagine a modern community, incorporating homes, gardens and communal spaces, continuing the legacy left by the former Rowntree factory and family.” [emaillocker id=”71749″]

“We’re also going to restore the old Joseph Rowntree Memorial Library at the front of the development which has been left in a state of disrepair for many years. This will become a new residents’ lounge complete with a concierge, shared workspaces and even a café with an outside pavilion so it will once again be at the heart of this new community which will become a superb destination in which to live and work. We are also committed to delivering employment opportunities and social value in the local area, and will create around 200 jobs during the building work and beyond as we bring people in to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of The Cocoa Works.”

Clarion also acquired a 13-acre acre brownfield site between the River Aire and Kirkstall Road in Leeds in August, which has planning permission for a residential mixed-use scheme incorporating around 1,000 homes and student accommodation.

Mr Cook commented: “We’re working with architects Broadway Malyan to create a redesign to completely regenerate this area, creating a wider sense of community and broad mixture of tenures for residents including affordable housing, student housing and rented options. We’re also looking to reinstate a bridge across the River Aire for greater connectivity across the city district. Yorkshire is a key area of growth for us and we want to make areas like our Kirkstall Road site so much more than just much-needed housing. We’ll be looking to underpin this development with a range of community arts and cultural facilities.”

He added: “It’s about opening up viable affordable options for people wanting to get on the housing ladder. The lack of affordable housing across Yorkshire’s cities has been widely documented, which is why we want to provide high-quality options for those who couldn’t ordinarily afford to live in these locations.”

Shared ownership offers buyers a route to home ownership with smaller and more manageable deposits. It allows prospective buyers to purchase a portion of the value of the property, and pay rent on the rest until they feel ready to buy a greater equity share on their home.

He added: “Like everybody we were immediately affected by the speed of lockdown back in Spring, but very quickly our business adapted to remote working and using technology much more effectively. Now all of our sites, show homes and marketing suites are open, following Government guidelines of course, and we’ve definitely benefited from the recent surge in demand for new homes, across both private sale and shared ownership.

“The feedback we are receiving from the market is that, with home working much more commonplace, access to green spaces and quality home design is key so we’re delivering these across our sites in Yorkshire and beyond. Quality place making has never been more important and underpins the Latimer offer, as people seek out places they can successfully live, socialise and work. Our ambition is to be building 4,000 homes a year across the UK. We will be close to doubling in size over next five years in order to achieve this.”

“In terms of strategic growth and development, Yorkshire and the North of England is an area we are serious about investing in. In fact, ahead of Christmas, we hope to be making another couple of major announcements on new land acquisitions.”

You can register for the North Yorkshire Development Plans Event here: https://www.built-environment-networking.com/event/north-yorkshire-future-developments/

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