PLANS have been lodged to build 77 new homes on land in Pudsey, part of which is a former Yorkshire Water site.

Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to the utility firm, has submitted a planning application to Leeds Council.

The 5.5 acre site is next to the covered Owlcotes Reservoir on Owlcotes Road, and includes former Yorkshire Water land owned by Keyland Developments and private land.

Keyland, which regenerates unused Yorkshire Water sites, has a planning promotional agreement with the local landowner.

The PPA initiative involves the team working with independent landowners, corporates or regulated bodies to overcome obstacles to development on strategic sites and to facilitate regeneration by securing planning consent for those sites.

The agreement with a local landowner in Pudsey represents Keyland’s eighth PPA, with similar agreements in place in Wakefield, Leeds, Calderdale and Kirklees.

The site itself is described as occupying “a highly sustainable location close to amenities, services and transport” is already allocated for residential development in the Leeds City Council Site Allocation Plan.

The proposed development is for 77 new homes to bring the site, which is largely vacant, into use to contribute to the local housing supply

The plans include a mix of affordable and market housing with 1 to 4 bedroom apartments, semi-detached and detached homes in landscaped surroundings, designed to complement the neighbouring existing residential developments.

Beth McQue, development planner at Keyland Developments Ltd, said; “This site has been identified as prime for residential development and is an excellent example of how Keyland’s PPA agreements can enable local landowners to unlock potential from their sites at no financial risk to themselves, which in turn assists the local authorities in meeting their long-term housing needs.

“By working collaboratively with landowners and local authorities we can facilitate regeneration across the region, and we are pleased to be submitting our plans to transform this site.”

In 2017 Keyland submitted outline plans to build 12 houses on one acre of land off Owlcotes Road next to the reservoir.

The land used to be used as a service reservoir but was demolished in 1993, having been deemed surplus to requirements by Yorkshire Water.

The proposals were later approved by Council planners in October 2017.

It is understood that the land subject to the current 77-home plans incorporates the land which already has outline permission for 12 homes.

Keyland has been operating across Yorkshire for more than 20 years, regenerating Yorkshire Water’s redundant sites.