Homes for sale in Yorkshire: Iconic former chocolate factor gets new lease of life

Ann Davis from Vernon in British Colombia, Canada, worked in the factory for six years in the 1950s before emigrating to Canada. Picture – supplied

The new community at the world-renowned Rowntree Factory on Haxby Road has taken a further step to completion this month, as the first residents have officially moved into The Cocoa Works.

Named in honour of the building’s history, the building has been faithfully redeveloped by Latimer, the development arm of Clarion Housing Group, and will house 279 studios and 1-3 bedroom apartments.

This year alone, 84 apartments (30% of the development’s total) are being made available to purchase through shared ownership.

Sweet memories

Developer unveils the next stage in iconic project, with affordable homes in York. Picture – supplied

Since the conception of The Cocoa Works, Latimer has been on the hunt to find people with memories or family connections to the iconic Rowntree factory, and one individual to get in touch is Ann Davis from Vernon in British Colombia, Canada, who used to work at the factory in the 1950s before emigrating to Canada, and she shared some of her memories:

“My first job was in Cream Manufacturing where my main task was collecting the ‘tea’ money and putting in orders for the different conveyor, before I moved onto the Men’s Employment Office.

“There I was fortunate enough to work for ‘BPR’, as Mr Phillip Rowntree was always called. One of my duties was to take notes each week when he met with the ‘sick visiting nurse’ who visited chronically and seriously ill employees in their homes, and she and BPR decided what help they and their families needed. I learned so much from them about compassion and caring and what great help was available. Men who could not come back to regular duties were given the chance to do light work in the ‘bag room’ where they could still be part of the Rowntree family.

“Another interesting job was going through the factory with my leather satchel shouting ‘BANK’ and collecting shillings from workers to be put in their savings accounts each week. Of course, in those days everyone was paid in cash.

84 of the new properties are available to buy via shared ownership. Picture – supplied

“I was familiar with all parts of the factory and recall the big machines in conch, Smarties being polished, wonderful cardboard boxes being made for chocolates, and realise how lucky I was to experience all that.

“In the first year, new employees like me all had half a day of school including maths, English and PE, and I was given the opportunity to take typing and shorthand lessons, the typing giving me a lifelong skill. I also played on the Rowntrees field hockey team, travelling to games in a big dark chocolate van.

“I look back on those six years with fondness and think what an influence it had on my life, and at that time how very loyal everyone felt to the family and company.”

Coming soon: Cocoa Gardens

Richard Cook, Group Development Director at Clarion Housing Group, whose development arm Latimer Homes is delivering the Cocoa Works and Cocoa Gardens

The Cocoa Works community is set to grow even further with work having started on the adjacent Cocoa Gardens development.

The latest phase of the regeneration of the old Rowntree site will consist of 302 homes, made up of 2-4 bedroom houses and 1-2 bedroom apartments.

Cocoa Gardens will see a total investment of £83m and will complement the apartments delivered as part of the Cocoa Works scheme, sharing the same amenities to create one inclusive community.

Continuing Latimer’s commitment to affordable housing in Yorkshire, over a third of the homes will be made available on an affordable basis, with 56 homes available through shared ownership and 54 through affordable rent.

Work is well underway, and the first homes will be ready for residents to move in by Summer 2024.

Those who wish to find out more can contact the Cocoa Gardens sales team on 01904 390301.

A word from Richard Cook

Richard Cook, Group Development Director at Clarion Housing Group, whose development arm Latimer Homes is delivering the Cocoa Works and Cocoa Gardens developments in York, tells Yorkshire Post about the importance of delivering affordable homes in Yorkshire:

“The importance of delivering affordable, aspirational homes as part of the strategy for addressing the imbalance between an affluent South East and regions like Yorkshire should not be underestimated.

“There has been a net loss of 24,000 affordable homes in England since 1991 and research suggests that there are more than 156,000 householders currently on affordable housing waiting lists across Yorkshire[i]

“To achieve delivery of these homes and support among communities, genuine collaboration with local authorities across Yorkshire and central government is crucial. Developers and housing associations need to work with local authorities to understand the local challenges around housing delivery and the core needs of the communities they serve. A commitment to quality placemaking and delivering housing as part of sustainable communities, without putting unacceptable pressure on local services, is central to this.

“Clarion Housing Group is committed to investing hundreds of millions of pounds across Yorkshire, delivering thousands of homes to meet the needs of communities.

“As a strategic partner of Homes England, we have also received the maximum grant of £250m for the 2021-26 Affordable Housing Programme. Within this, we are allocating £40m towards delivering 800 new homes in Yorkshire, with work beginning between 2021 and 2026.

“When it comes to delivering homes that are both highly desirable and affordable, we believe the shared ownership model, where homeowners purchase a portion of a new property and can increase their share of ownership over time, has an important role to play.

“That’s why we’re offering shared ownership at two of our major schemes in York. At The Cocoa Works, our flagship redevelopment of the Rowntree’s factory in York, we are delivering 30 per cent of homes through shared ownership. At our adjacent Cocoa Gardens scheme, we will be offering 35 per cent of homes through affordable options, with 56 available through shared ownership.

“We also believe that regenerating existing homes and estates is crucial to housing delivery and redressing regional imbalances. It can deliver quality new homes, boost the economy and breathe life into communities by rejuvenating tired brownfield land.

“However, while regeneration has a vital role to play across Yorkshire, no grant funding currently exists to support these transformative projects. To give levelling up the best chance of succeeding, this needs to change, and we need to see a cross-party commitment to building the homes we need both through regeneration and new development.”

Further information on The Cocoa Works, its history and the affordable options available can be found at thecocoa-works.com.