The Chapeltown Cohousing Group, (Chaco,) and Unity Housing Association have developed a vision for a new community on the site off Leopold Street in Leeds. Chaco are developing 29 dwellings with a shared common house. Unity are developing 30 apartments for those aged 55 and over. In addition to this, there are 5 plots available for self-build projects.
The site has been organised to provide good amenities for residents while mitigating the effects of the busy road that bounds the site to the south. The Chaco housing has therefore been pushed to the edge of the site, arranged in a 2/3-storey terrace that follows the curve of the main road. This creates a strong architectural statement from the road with the added benefit of forming an acoustic barrier to shield the gardens to the rear. The common house sits within the garden, accessed from a new road and parking area along the northern boundary. Unity’s apartments are in two blocks. A 6-unit block continues the frontage established by the Chaco terrace. A 24-unit block sits in the eastern corner of the site, set behind a group of mature trees.
The scheme offers a mix of dwelling types, from 1-bed apartments to 5-bed houses, and a range of unique housing forms, including a 3-bed triplex over a 1-bed apartment. All dwellings comply with Lifetime Homes design criteria.
The Chaco dwellings are being built to the AECB standard, which will reduce overall CO2 emissions by 70% compared to the UK average, making a valuable contribution to the low-carbon building. To meet the standard the dwellings follow a ‘fabric first’ approach with high levels of insulation and careful detailing that mitigates thermal bridging and minimises air leakage.
