HUNDREDS of new homes will be built around Huddersfield.

Kirklees Council last night announced it had signed a deal for 466 new rental properties at 27 sites across the district.

Council leader Clr Mehboob Khan welcomed the news yesterday.

“This is fantastic for Kirklees,” said the Greenhead Labour man.

“I’m delighted that we will soon be able to offer 466 families and individuals the opportunity to move into the quality homes which suit their needs, and which they deserve. This programme also gives us the chance to regenerate communities, in some cases removing old buildings which were no longer fit for purpose and replacing them with modern, quality homes.”

The £92.5m project is being funded by the Homes and Communities Agency using the Private Finance Initiative. Kirklees has contracted Regenter, Wates Living Space and Pinnacle PSG to design, build, manage and maintain the properties, which will be made available to new and existing council tenants.

Some 291 of the homes will be one or two-bedroom; 35 will be designed for wheelchair-users and 140 will be for older people.

Construction will take place over the next two and a half years.

Pinnacle PSG will manage and maintain the homes on behalf of the council for the next 20 years, but the council will be the landlord to all tenants.