MP STUART Andrew visited a housing development on the edge of Horsforth to view progress at the former Clariant Works site and a neighbouring mill.

Mr Andrew, who represents Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough, was welcomed to Horsforth Vale by the homebuilder’s land director, Matthew Barker, and David Faraday, technical director.

Regeneration of the old Clariant Works chemical plant began in 2009, a year after it had closed, with extensive remediation undertaken by Redrow’s sister company Harrow Estates. Redrow began building a range of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes in 2014, and more than 200 of the planned 342 homes have now been built.

At the end of 2015, Redrow acquired the neighbouring Riverside Mills site, which had previously been a fabric yard, dyeing and twisting mill. This area is being redeveloped with 125 new homes including the refurbishment and renovation of two original mill buildings. Half the 19.5 acre site is being developed for housing with the rest left as managed woodland and open space.

Mr Barker said: "These two major brownfield sites are making a valuable contribution to Leeds City Council’s target to deliver 70,000 new homes by 2028, and Redrow is proud to be a part of that.”

While there Mr Andrew met two of Redrow’s local apprentices, Harry McCarthy, 18, who is learning to be a painter and decorator, and trainee ground worker Luke Chapman, 23, both of whom have been with Redrow for a year.

He said: "It was a pleasure to visit the site and see the progress that is being made. I was particularly pleased to meet the apprentices as this is something I am passionate about, helping young people to learn new skills whilst earning a wage helps both the industry and the individual. Using brownfield sites instead of destroying our greenbelt is something I and many local people are campaigning for. If it's a choice between the two then we should be looking at regeneration such as this rather than erasing important parts of our green infrastructure."