Calling all landowners – private land sought for new homes

The new Housing Delivery Panel in the West of England is appealing for more development land from landowners and developers.

It follows the success of the development of the first innovative project to be delivered through the Panel which will create nine new family homes for social renting in Lawrence Weston on land made available by private developer Land Promotions Ltd. 

The project is a joint venture between Bristol City Council and the developer and affordable housing provider Curo, a member of the West of England Housing Delivery Panel.  

The Panel, which was created in October 2011, is a partnership of the four local authorities as well as a number of other development, management and housing organisations. 

Its aim is to maximise the number of new homes by developing high-quality sustainable neighbourhoods, with market and affordable housing, in well-designed mixed communities across the region. 

The Panel’s first anniversary will be marked by a turf cutting ceremony on the site where the nine new homes will be built.

Work is due to start on site imminently and the properties should be ready to be let by May 2013. Bristol City Council made available a grant of £395,000 to support this development.

Councillor Anthony Negus, Cabinet Member for Housing, Property and Regeneration in Bristol, said: “Building more high-quality affordable homes is one of the key priorities for the city. 

"And we are working hard in partnership with other agencies to explore every way we can of contributing to this goal. The city council has provided £395,000 in support of this scheme which will provide nine new and much-needed family homes for social renting. 

“Of course this project represents only a drop in the ocean but, taken together with the other innovative schemes currently enjoying success, such as the No Use Empty initiative - which over the last 12 months brought more than 500 empty private homes back into use and the Local Mortgage Scheme which has so far helped 23 first-time buyers get on the housing ladder – they are making a difference to the lives of a substantial number of people in Bristol.

“I hope that this scheme here in the city of Bristol will be the first of many across the West of England region.” 

Mike Grist, Director of Asset Management and Development at Curo, said: “We are pleased to be the first housing organisation to be selected to develop new homes through the West of England Housing Delivery Panel. 

“We are excited about the project at Lawrence Weston – it provides a great opportunity to increase the amount of much-needed affordable housing available in the area. Our desire at Curo is to create vibrant developments of homes that will benefit the future sustainability of the areas we build in. Our active development programme delivers around 300 homes a year.” 

Vince Nguyen, for Land Promotions Ltd, said: "We were delighted to be involved in the working partnership with WoE Housing Delivery Panel. The pleasure was succeeding in changing use class from a generally dormant public house into what will be much-needed high quality homes and receiving lots of neighbouring support along the way. 

"We will be looking to buy more land in and around Bristol areas, particularly those neglected in order to bring more forward to continue the working relationship with the WoE Housing Delivery Panel."