Work is progressing on Bradford’s first Council housing scheme in 30 years.

The scheme, to build 45 homes on Longfield Drive, West Bowling, will address housing needs and will be a boost for people looking for work.

There will be a range of two, three and four-bed homes on the site, where work began at the end of May.

The £5.6m scheme has been half-funded by a Government new build programme and half from the Council. The authority is also working with contractor Lovell to create job opportunities in the building trade.

Two apprentices – one trainee bricklayer and a joiner – are now working on the scheme and it is hoped more apprenticeships could be created.

The scheme is the first in West Yorkshire to develop houses to the top rating of the national Code For Sustainable Homes.

This means the building materials used create zero carbon emissions.

Twelve of the homes will comply with this level while 33 of them will be built to a lower level of the code, which includes facilities to reduce surface water run-off from the site.

The top-level properties will have communal biomass boilers, which will reduce heating costs, and renewable energy technology, such as photovoltaic panels that convert solar radiation into electricity.

The lower level homes will include solar powered heating. Each property will also have a rainwater harvesting system.

Councillor, the Reverend Paul Flowers, the Council’s executive member for culture, planning and housing, said: “This is a hugely important scheme for Bradford and is a significant step in creating affordable housing.”

Noel Adams, regional director of Lovell, said: “We are delighted to be working with Bradford Council to deliver this new housing development.”

The scheme is expected to be completed in 2011 – five years ahead of the deadline set by the Government for when all new housing must have zero carbon emissions.