Gillingham Dorset

Carter Jonas acted for a private landowner in respect of a strategic development scheme comprising around 960 new dwellings, primary school extension, and local centre with employment uses.

The opportunity was first identified in 2014, when it was considered that our client’s land had potential for a small strategic development scheme of up to 600 new homes. We had previously advised the client on a development scheme of around 290 new homes which was sold and developed out by Taylor Wimpey some years before.

On behalf of our client we negotiated a Promotion Agreement with Welbeck Land and subsequently, as the housing requirement for North Dorset had increased, agreed terms to bring a neighbouring landowners into the promotion alongside Welbeck Land for an expanded scheme for around 960 new homes. This scheme was then allocated in the adopted Local Plan and Outline Planning Permission was granted in September 2021.

Meanwhile the scheme was awarded grant funding from Homes England to deliver the Principal Street that runs through the site and the landowners entered into a S278/38 Agreement to govern delivery of the road by the Highway Authority. This would have enabled the landowners to sell mainly serviced parcels to the housebuilding industry as the development progressed, but following a competitive marketing campaign, appetite was such that the whole site was sold to Redrow Homes in August 2022.