28 families in the Armley area of Leeds have access to new, genuinely affordable housing that is energy efficient and in a spacious setting, thanks in part to the property development work of the Diocese of Leeds.
54North Homes, a housing association that focuses on high quality affordable housing, purchased a surplus vicarage and community hall at St Bartholomew’s Armley, and obtained planning permission to demolish the existing buildings and deliver 28 new affordable homes.
The agreement between the diocese and 54North Homes was made possible by our establishing of a Diocesan Property Development Manager post, who works to manage and dispose of our glebe land and ex-benefice sites.
The establishing of the post was inspired by the Church of England’s 'Coming Home' report, commissioned by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in response to the housing crisis, which sets out actions for the Church, government and other stakeholders with a focus on building better communities and homes, not just houses.
Ground was broken by constructors the Ashfield Group in October 2024, and 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.
The building designs fit in with other buildings in the area, and mature trees and shrubs were retained to support the existing ecosystem and give the development a sense of history and character.
Grassy areas between each 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.
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.
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.
An early problem in the development concerned access to the neighbouring Scout Hut along a track that bordered the site but 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.
To find out more about the work of our Property Team, please click here.