A LEADING house builder says it is leaving a ‘green footprint’ across West Yorkshire through an environmentally-friendly approach to development.

Barratt Homes’ Yorkshire West division built 515 new homes during 2014, 69 per cent of which were built on previously developed, brownfield land, which helped to preserve more green space and protect wildlife.

The company said it also made a conscious effort to support the local environment through planting or keeping more than 21,000 trees and shrubs on its developments, spending more than £307,000 on environmental improvements.

Ian Ruthven, managing director of Barratt Homes Yorkshire West, said: “As a five-star homebuilder we have a responsibility to ensure We’re conscious of the effect we are having on the environment and aim to combat this in any way possible.

“Last year alone we created around 1,800 jobs directly and indirectly through homebuilding and 974 sub-contractor and supplier companies were supported.

“We care a lot about both the homes we build and the communities we create at our developments and so we use materials and practices that promote environmentally-friendly results.”