New affordable homes set for Castleford

Wakefield Council is supporting Vico Homes to deliver 69 affordable homes for rent and shared ownership on the site of the former Castleford swimming baths.

The new housing is being made possible after the Council agreed to use developer affordable housing contributions to help bridge the funding gap.

Earlier this year, the Council sold the land to Vico Homes to bring more affordable homes to the district.

The Council has been able to make a 40 percent funding contribution through Section 106 affordable housing contributions. The money from developers comes from planning agreements meaning it hasn’t come from Council Tax or Council reserves.

Vico Homes has also secured funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to support the demolition of the former swimming baths and prepare the site for construction.

Councillor Wakefield added: "By using Section 106 funding for the scheme, we've been able to support the delivery of a high-quality development at no cost to residents. The project will help meet local housing needs and bring life back to this part of the town."

James Kilroy, Head of New Business and Delivery for Vico Homes, said: “We’re proud to be bringing these much-needed affordable homes to Castleford, giving more local people the opportunity to put down roots in a safe, high-quality home. This development is an important step towards our ambition to provide 10,000 more homes over the next 10 years.”

Demolition work is expected to begin in September, with machinery and equipment now arriving on site ahead of the work getting underway.

Completion of all homes is expected by Summer 2028.