Members of Leeds City Council's Executive Board have agreed a decision to back a strategic partnership with Bellway that will deliver the EASEL (East and South East Leeds) scheme.
 
EASEL will be one of the largest regeneration schemes in the country covering an area of 1,700 hectares and four council wards.
 
Plans for EASEL include more than 5,000 new homes, new neighbourhood centres, schools, health provision and public realm. Investment in social infrastructure, the environment and local enterprise will combine to ensure that a new local housing market is created.
 
Bellway chief executive John Watson said: "EASEL is a blueprint for large-scale housing replacement programmes which are needed across the UK and where private finance can be captured to help pump-prime regeneration."
 
Planning applications for more than 700 new homes on eight initial sites in Gipton and Seacroft have already been submitted. Comstruction is expected to start later this year.