Kirklees Council has given an update on the status of the biggest housing developments across the district.

A total of 1,873 homes a year are needed in Kirklees. And with a waiting list for social housing in excess of 19,000 people/families, the demand for more homes to be built in Kirklees has been made clear.

Thousands of homes are set to be delivered across two of the largest housing sites alone, with these located at Dewsbury Riverside and Bradley Park.

Elsewhere, affordable and specialist properties are under construction, and there is a push for more people to call Huddersfield and Dewsbury town centres home.

An overview of the Dewsbury Riverside site. Image: Kirklees Council

placeholder image — An overview of the Dewsbury Riverside site. Image: Kirklees Council

On Monday (March 9), at a meeting of Kirklees Council’s growth and regeneration scrutiny panel, acting head of housing growth, Liz Jefferson, gave an update on a variety of housing schemes.

Dewsbury Riverside

Dewsbury Riverside is the largest housing allocation in the council’s Local Plan, with the capacity for up to 4,000 homes. But issues needing to be resolved with neighbouring strategic landowners mean that a master developer cannot be brought on board yet.

Negotiations are ongoing and the council expects to make progress over the summer.

Town centre living

As part of the council’s ‘Blueprint’ visions for Huddersfield and Dewsbury, the local authority wants to increase the number of people living in the two town centres.

In Dewsbury, the focus for residential development is on the Daisy Hill area which sits between the town centre and the railway station. The development of the Station apartments, opposite the railway station, is nearing completion.

Elsewhere, a number of other acquisitions have been made in the area including Neil Jordan House.

Specialist Homes

Kenmore Drive, Cleckheaton

Kirklees Council is working in partnership with Housing Association Housing 21 to deliver an 80 unit extra care scheme, all of which will be let at an affordable rent.

Work started on site in February 2024 and the building is now wind and watertight. The scheme is expected to complete in late summer 2026.

St Paul’s Road, Mirfield

On this site, the council is working with Connect Housing to deliver 13 homes for adults with a social care need.

Planning permission has been secured and legal work has been progressed to dispose of the site to Connect, though some legal issues with neighbouring properties have held up the transfer. These are close to being resolved and start on site is expected in mid-2026.

Affordable Homes

RP Clusters Programme

It was reported in March 2025 that the council is working with Housing Association Thirteen to deliver 100 per cent affordable homes on five sites across the district. Three of these sites have since been found to be unviable, with one now considered for disposal and alternatives being looked at for the other two sites.

This year, planning decisions and a start on site are expected for Thirteen’s sites at Main Avenue and Highmoor Lane, Cleckheaton. These sites will deliver 97 affordable and intermediate tenure homes.

In addition, 73 affordable homes were secured elsewhere through the planning process in 2024/25 by the Affordable Housing Team.

Market and affordable sites

Soothill, Batley

This site will deliver 319 homes when complete, of which 43 per cent will be affordable.

Two-hundred and eleven homes have been sold (privately) or transferred (to a housing association) on this site, and development will continue at pace during 2026. The overall completion date for the site is December 2026.

Fenay Lane

Vistry was appointed as the development partner for this site in 2025. Work in the last year has focussed on legal discussions, and Vistry engaging with the local planning authority before making a planning application.

Ash View

While the team’s focus has been on the extra care element of the scheme, this site has also delivered 98 market sale, and 21 affordable homes with construction completed in the last year.

Temporary accommodation

The meeting heard that the council still has a “significant waiting list” for housing which directly links to the number of people requiring temporary accommodation. The council is looking at other models for providing temporary accommodation, with this work to continue in 2026.