Bath & North East Somerset Council’s bid to see Foxhill become a designated Housing Zone has been successful, after it was announced in yesterday’s Budget.
Foxhill will become one of just 20 Housing Zones outside London.
Housing Zones are a new government initiative to support and accelerate the delivery of new homes on brownfield sites.
Designation brings with it the opportunity for additional Government investment, planning support from the Homes and Communities Advisory Team for Large Applications and specialist Government brokerage to speed up dialogue between the planning authority and national organisations.
Cllr Tim Ball (Lid-Dem, Twerton), Cabinet Member for Homes & Planning, said: “This is great news. The redevelopment of the former MOD site by Curo will result in an unprecedented regeneration opportunity for the neighbouring post -war Foxhill estate.”
Leader of the Council, Cllr Paul Crossley, said: “The Council welcomes the opportunity that a Housing Zone designation will provide in accelerating redevelopment of these key brownfield sites; this is not going to be a simple or quick process.
“Brownfield regeneration is key to housing and economic growth of Bath but we do not underestimate the challenge of delivering such large scale development in a World Heritage setting.”
The Council has worked very closely with Curo who are the majority landowner in the proposed Housing Zone, which is made up of the former MOD site, now being developed as Mulberry Park, and the neighbouring Foxhill estate.
Curo have major development and regeneration plans which will see the delivery across the two areas of up to 1300 new homes over the next 12 years, alongside a new school, community and business units, public open space.
Victor Da Cunha, Chief Executive of Curo, said: “Curo is delighted that the government has recognised the need to develop a long term sustainable future for Foxhill.
“This provides a unique and ambitious opportunity for the regeneration of the area through its integration with our new development at Mulberry Park. We look forward to working with the Council on this.”
1 Comment
Christopher John Edward Brann
Friday 20th March, 2015 at 09:47Does this mean they will all be social housing and not ones to sell?