A DEVELOPMENT comprising 455 properties, a district centre and 55 later living homes will be built in Bedworth after getting the green light from councillors.
The Hospital Lane scheme – led by land promoter Richborough – will provide a range of one to five-bedroomed properties – 25 per cent of them will be affordable. All properties will have secure, on-plot cycle storage, while those with dedicated parking will also be fitted with electric vehicle charge points.
Open spaces on 8.9hectares of land will also be developed, including a children’s play area, outdoor and green gym, community orchard and allotment and wildlife park.
A bus route will run through the heart of the development to maximise connections with the existing transport network and to promote sustainable travel methods. Two access points from Hospital Lane will also be created, alongside new cycle and walking routes.
On behalf of the landowner Nicholas Chamberlaine Trust, the proposals have been designed to support the principles and core values of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s ‘Coming Home’ report.
The land, known as HSG5, was included in Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council’s ‘borough plan’ as a designated area for houses, which is part of the local authority’s strategy to deliver at least 14,060 new homes between 2011 and 2031.
Anabel Christmas, regional director at Richborough Estates, said it was a very well-designed and located development and she was pleased it had been granted outline planning permission.
“It will help answer housing need in the area and deliver extensive community facilities.”
She thanked Marrons, which led the planning application, and the whole team and said a development partner was being sought.
David Pendle, partner at Marrons, said: “The housing emergency in this country is well-documented and this brand-new inclusive community in a sustainable location is a huge step towards addressing this crisis.
“Furthermore, the number of people over 65 in the UK is expected to increase by 41 per cent over the next 20 years.
“However, less than three per cent of the country’s housing stock is geared towards the retirement market.”
He added this development would address the increasing, immediate and critical need for later living properties.
The project will create around 683 full-time equivalent jobs during construction, while the local economy will also benefit from increased footfall in local shops and businesses.
