ST. MODWEN SIGNS LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TO DELIVER 1,500 NEW HOMES IN WANTAGE
St. Modwen, the UK’s leading regeneration specialist, has signed a development agreement to take forward the delivery of the masterplan and infrastructure for a 227 acre site at Crab Hill in Wantage, South Oxfordshire. The agreement is with the current landowners with whom St. Modwen will be the long term partner. This latest agreement further highlights St. Modwen’s track record of delivering large-scale, long-term residential-led developments.
Outline planning permission was granted in July 2015 by the Vale of the White Horse District Council for up to 1,500 homes, a new primary school, a neighbourhood centre including pub/restaurant and local retail accommodation, sports pitches, employment space and community amenities set around a central park.
The site, which sits on the north west urban edge of Wantage, was successfully promoted by Kemp & Kemp, Carter Jonas and Lands Improvement Holdings, the promoters appointed by the landowners in 2012 to obtain planning permission for the scheme. As the landowners’ new development partner, St. Modwen will implement the infrastructure works associated with this extensive project and deliver up to half of the 1,500 new homes through its award-winning housebuilding arm, St. Modwen Homes. The rest of the development plots will be awarded in tranches and sold to other housebuilders for building out.
Guy Gusterson, Group Residential Director, St. Modwen, said: “Crab Hill is one of the South-East’s most significant strategic housing projects. Due to the location, scale and the inherent qualities of the site it represents a great opportunity to develop a high quality, mixed-use scheme that lends itself perfectly to St. Modwen’s ability to sympathetically regenerate sites in order to create new communities that enhance both the environment and the local and broader economy. This is an extensive project that will take around 10 to 15 years to complete and necessitates a phased approach to delivery.
“St. Modwen Homes has now submitted a detailed planning application for the first phase of housing comprising 150 homes which will sit in an attractive setting, adjacent to the Charlton Village cricket grounds.”
Carter Jonas and Kemp & Kemp, which is now part of the Carter Jonas Group, acted for the landowners. James Bainbridge, head of Planning & Development at Carter Jonas, commented: “This is the next chapter in a journey for the landowners that started many years ago. Having guided them to the milestone of achieving planning permission for the scheme and procuring a development partner, I and my colleague Chris Wilmshurst will continue to enjoy guiding them as the development project is delivered over the longer term.”
The masterplan, designed by Edinburgh-based architect, Open, will see the provision of extensive community and educational facilities as well delivering significant infrastructure improvements including contributing to the new Wantage by-pass.
