Housing Minister Kris Hopkins praises development in Batley

The Keighley and Ilkley MP officially opened Healey Gardens in Healey Lane last Friday, which provides 49 affordable family homes.

Yorkshire Housing’s development, part-funded by a £1.2m Homes and Communities Agency grant, was built by Partner Construction.

The two, three and four bedroom homes were built to help address the need for more affordable family homes across our district.

Mr Hopkins met with residents who have benefited from the project.

“I am really impressed by the estate and it is a great addition to the area,” he said.

“We have invested £19.5bn of funding into our affordable homes programme because everyone should be able to access a decent home.”

A report by the National Housing Federation said working families were being priced out of Yorkshire’s rural areas and market towns.

It claimed local shops, pubs and schools were at risk of closure because it was becoming impossible for people to put down roots in the region’s towns and villages.

But Mr Hopkins said getting the country building was a key part of the Government’s long-term economic plan.

“We have invested billions which has so far delivered nearly 200,000 homes, with more than 11,000 of those built in Yorkshire,” he said.

“It is up to the local authority but we want to continue building in this area because we need to respond to the local need.”