Plymouth Community Homes appoints Barratt to develop £30 million regeneration site

Plymouth Community Homes has announced it has selected Barratt Development PLC as the chosen developer for the first phase of the regeneration of the North Prospect area.

At a meeting of Plymouth Community Homes’ Board yesterday, it was confirmed that Barratt had won the competitive tender, having presented the strongest bid for the new build programme which will generate up to 250 new homes and refurbish up to 60 existing houses in North Prospect within the next three years. The area is the flagship programme of the new housing association and one of the biggest regeneration programmes in the South West.

The full planning application for the work will be received in October and work should begin in February and March next year. Residents will be able to see the first houses go up in the summer.

This is one of the first sites in the UK to be awarded as part of the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA) Delivery Partner Panel framework, which aims to bring publicly owned-land forward for residential development.

Barratt succeeded in its proposals to a panel including Board members, officers and residents. Plymouth Community Homes used the HCA framework to ensure a rigorous process of scrutiny. Considerations included the design brief, employers’ requirements, survey information and community engagement standards.

Mike Knowles, Plymouth Community Homes’ programme director of regeneration, said: “Our responsibility is to make sure that the regeneration programme of North Prospect is a success for the people who live there, creating a place where people want live and work, now and in the future.

“We invested a lot of time in ensuring we got the right developer to do the best job possible for the people of North Prospect – and we believe Barratt will more than meet expectations. We’re excited to have them on board, as we progress this hugely significant programme for local people.”

Colin Molton, HCA director with responsibility for investment in the South West, added: “We are investing significantly in the North Prospect to support this vitally important regeneration project.
“It’s good news for Plymouth and the people of North Prospect that a developer of Barratt’s standing has been appointed, and that the hard work of delivering improved housing in the area can start.”