WORK has been completed on the final phase of a £21 million housing scheme at Silsden.

A total of 156 affordable homes at Weavers View have been handed over to Yorkshire Housing.

Construction work at the former Riverside Works site began in 2021, with some properties being finished in phases last year.

The final 34 houses are now ready for occupation.

Contractor Lindum Group said the project had not been without its challenges.

James Nellist, Lindum York's managing director, says: "We are thrilled to hand over the final affordable plots to Yorkshire Housing after what has been a very challenging but rewarding project.

"The development has been built during one of the most challenging periods for our industry – through Covid complications and supply chain difficulties caused by the war in Ukraine, and of course unprecedented inflation.

"Despite these challenges, by working in collaboration with Yorkshire Housing we have still been able to deliver 156 quality homes for the people of Silsden.

"This is such an important scheme for the Silsden area, helping to ease growing demand for affordable housing, and we are now looking forward to seeing the new community develop and thrive in its homes."

The scheme comprises 36 houses for affordable rent, 44 to be be offered on a rent-to-buy basis, and 76 shared ownership.

They are a combination of two, three and four-bed two-storey properties.

Anthony Askew, head of construction at Yorkshire Housing, says: "This site hasn’t been without its challenges, so reaching this stage of handing over the final properties to our customers is a significant milestone.

"Weavers View is an excellent example of the different ways that housing can be delivered on one site.

"We have set a goal of delivering 8,000 new homes across our county to help ease the housing crisis, and this development takes us closer to achieving that target."

Last year, the site won a regional Local Authority Building Control 'recognition award' for its management.

Detailed plans for the development were approved in 2020 by Bradford Council’s regulatory and appeals committee.

The site, which housed a former weaving mill until it was demolished in 2013, had previously been earmarked for a supermarket and filling station.

Proposals for housing on the plot were first approved in outline form in 2018, despite a number of objections.

Opponents had raised concerns over possible flooding of the land and traffic issues on neighbouring roads.