News
Two Lichfields schemes among 14 garden villages given Government backing
03 Jan 2017Department for Communities and Local Government has named the first round of garden villages to be given Government backing to aid their delivery. In the face of a reported 51 bids submitted last summer, the 14 named projects include two Lichfields-backed submissions:
-
Long Marston Airfield in Stratford-on-Avon, delivering 3,500 new homes; and
-
Dunton Hills in Brentwood, Essex which will deliver at least 2,500 new homes.
These locally-led garden villages will receive monies from a £6 million fund to support them - focusing on accelerating delivery and removing barriers to implementation, in order to boost housing supply. In addition to the funding, the Government will provide support in terms of expertise, brokerage and will offer ‘new planning freedoms’, as well as access to bid for other resources.
Government have also indicated that an additional £1 million has been made available this year for further development of other garden village proposals and another call for expressions of interest may be run in 2017.
Locally-led garden towns and villages have enormous potential to deliver the homes that communities need. New communities not only deliver homes, they also bring new jobs and facilities and a big boost to local economies.
Gavin Barwell, Housing and Planning Minister
Lichfields is delighted to have supported Long Marston Airfield, and Dunton Hills, working on the expressions of interest with the partner local authorities and developers – CALA and CEG, respectively. Both schemes are in Local Plans, and garden village status will help resource the important work necessary to secure delivery in locations with an acute need for new homes.
Matthew Spry, Lichfields Senior Director