Avant Homes acquires land for £60m Leeds development

Housebuilder Avant Homes has completed the purchase of land for a £60m residential development as part of the Skelton Gate regeneration scheme in Leeds.Formerly an open cast colliery in the Leeds Aire Valley, and located just off Pontefract Lane on Skelton Lane, the Skelton Gate development has been masterplanned by Templegate Developments Ltd, a joint venture (JV) between Evans Property Group and Keyland Developments. The JV plans to create a community of 1,800 new homes, a primary and secondary school, public open space, a local centre and a convenience store.Subject to planning approval, Avant Homes’ £60m development will form part of the first phase of homes at the Skelton Gate scheme, featuring a mixture of two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes across 15 house designs.Of the 192 properties, 15 per cent will be designated as affordable housing.Avant Homes has also committed to a community contribution of more than £1.1m to support primary education provision, public transport and infrastructure in the area.Subject to approval, groundworks are set to begin this autumn with the first homes estimated to be ready for occupation in spring 2023.Templegate Developments announced in February that it had agreed terms with Avant Homes and Evans Homes for the acquisition of land at Skelton Gate. The housebuilders will each purchase half of phase one of the development, which comprises a total 27 acres, for a combined 400 homes.