Abri and Vistry Group have entered into a 50/50 joint venture to acquire the former Ford Airfield in West Sussex from Wates Developments Group, with plans to transform the site into 1,500 new homes.
The development, which will provide 50% affordable housing in a mix of shared ownership, first homes and rented tenures, will also feature a 60-bed care home, a new local centre with commercial and retail uses, almost 1,500 sq m of new community and leisure space, land for a new primary school and extensive public open spaces, including new sports pitches and allotments.
Ford Community Land Trust has first right of refusal on the affordable housing delivered via the Section 106 agreement and the open-market homes will be sold using Vistry Group’s retail housebuilding brands Linden Homes, Bovis Homes and Countryside Homes.
Gary Orr (pictured), group chief executive of Abri, said: “This transformative development will provide many hundreds of new, quality affordable homes, as well as new services and facilities for the local community. By working in joint venture with Vistry, we’ve unlocked the full potential of the site, making sure it delivers the best outcomes for the community.
“We want to play our role tackling the nation’s housing crisis and Ford Airfield will contribute significantly to Abri’s commitment to build 10,000 homes by 2030, whilst we will reinvest any surplus to improve existing homes and services, invest in communities and continue to build more affordable housing.”
Stephen Teagle, chief executive of Countryside Partnerships – part of Vistry Group – added: “We have a well-established, long-term relationship with Abri and Ford Airfield perfectly supports our strategy of delivering a significant number of mixed-tenure homes with affordable housing partners. Through our joint venture, we’re able to increase the level of affordable housing across the whole site from the 30% planning requirement to 50%, which will have a major impact on West Sussex’s affordable housing supply.”
David Brocklebank, executive managing director of Wates Developments Group, said: “We’re delighted to have completed the sale of this ground-breaking neighbourhood planning led development at Ford. We’re proud to have had the opportunity to create a high-quality, sustainable, multi-use residential development over a number of years, in consultation with local stakeholders, which will address the pressing need for housing, as well as foster a sense of community belonging and well-being. This project underscores the power of constructive neighbourhood planning and collaborative efforts to develop this transformative project.”
A period of public consultation is set to commence this spring, with work expected to commence next year subject to planning approval.
