Green space in a Leeds community has been given a new lease of life thanks to a local council housing development in Seacroft.
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00:00The grass isn't always greener on the other side, but if you're a resident of Seacroft you may have spotted these recent additions to the green spaces around the Brooklands Avenue area, which are hoped will benefit everyone in the community.
00:14Funding made available through the development of 33 affordable rent homes has been used to carry out improvements to existing green spaces, with the scheme part of Leeds' Council Housing Growth Programme.
00:26The woodland area that sits between Brooklands Avenue and Seacroft Village Green has been tidied, and trees, shrubs and bulbs on two pieces of land next to the green have been planted.
00:36The improvements were carried out in partnership between the Council and environmental charity Groundwork Yorkshire, following consultation with residents and other regular users of the green space.
00:47Leeds City Council's Executive Member for Housing, Councillor Jess Lennox, and the Executive Member for Climate, Energy, Environment and Greenspace, Councillor Mohamed Rafiq, helped out with the planting of a tree during their visit.
01:00Funds generated by the Brooklands Avenue scheme and another council housing development in the Ambertons area of Gipton are also being used to improve the biodiversity of 1.14 hectares of amenity grassland near the Denby Heights and Denby Croft flats off Wykebeck Valley Road.
01:17Work there has included the planting of native scrub, providing a variety of food sources and shelter for wildlife.
01:24Around 700 homes have been built or acquired via Leeds' Council Housing Growth Programme since 2018, supporting ongoing efforts to ease local affordable housing pressures.
01:35By increasing the number of appropriate properties available to tenants looking to downsize, the programme has also helped free up some homes that are best suited for larger families.