One half of Holt Park was built as a council estate; the other half as private housing, built to typical British 1970s design by the well-known property developer Norman C. Ashton Limited (similar/identical architecture and build can be found in other areas in Leeds and West Yorkshire, including Otley, Ainsty in Wetherby, Ferrybridge and Knottingley), comprising a mixture of detached and semi-detached housing, and several apartments. This came about after an agreement between Norman Ashton (an experienced developer) and Leeds City Council to create a new 'village' within the city, which would include a mixture of private and council housing stock with shops and leisure facilities.