Deals round-up: December 2024

Vistry Group

Vistry Group has secured five parcels of land at Finchwood Park in Finchampstead, near Wokingham, that will deliver 600 new mixed-tenure homes.

Detailed planning permission is already in place for the first 256 homes, including 89 affordable homes. Vistry will deliver these first 256 homes as a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses.

The parcels are located within a wider development of 1,500 homes being brought forward by Cala Homes.

Vivid and L&Q

Vivid has acquired 378 properties from L&Q, with a further 30 to complete shortly, for an undisclosed fee.

The properties, located mainly in Basingstoke – with some in Wiltshire, Test Valley and Berkshire – will be integrated into Vivid’s existing portfolio.

Vivid said the strategic acquisition will significantly enhance its capacity to provide quality, affordable housing, allowing it to focus more intensely on meeting their needs. 

Eastlight Community Homes and L&Q

Eastlight Community Homes has acquired 128 homes in Essex from L&Q for an undisclosed amount.

The homes, which are all in the Tendring and Braintree districts in Essex, are primarily general needs homes and include shared ownership and freehold homes.

Eastlight, which now owns and manages around 14,500 homes across east London, said it bought the homes as they are in its core operating area, and having a stronger local presence helps it to meet the needs of both existing and new residents.

Thakeham and Stonewater

Developer Thakeham, working in partnership with Stonewater, has received a resolution to grant planning permission for the Lower Horsebridge development in Hailsham, East Sussex, that will deliver 124 affordable one to four-bedroom homes.

The development will also feature a multi-functional public open space for new and existing residents of Lower Horsebridge, as well as improved access to existing pedestrian and cycle links.

BPHA, Milton Keynes Development Partnership and Taylor Wimpey South Midlands

BPHA has partnered with Milton Keynes Development Partnership and developer Taylor Wimpey South Midlands to provide 78 affordable homes at Bronze Park in Kents Hill, Milton Keynes.

The homes, which are due to be completed by March 2026 and will be prioritised for local people, will comprise 34 homes for social rent and 44 at intermediate rent.

They will be built to meet the specifications of the anticipated Future Homes Standard requirements. The development has been made possible by grant funding from Homes England.

CHP and The Hill Group

Essex-based housing association CHP has appointed The Hill Group as lead developer on the proposed regeneration of the Andrews Place and Rainsford Lane area of Chelmsford.

The plan involves replacing the 69 existing bungalows built on the two-hectare site in 1949 with a wider variety of new, affordable homes that cater to the specific needs of local people.

CHP said that it is still in the early stages of the planning and design process and is yet to finalise the number of homes to be built, but it added that its ambition is that all the homes delivered will be affordable homes for local people.

The housing association said its latest draft proposals include dedicated later living homes for older people, as well as one, two, three and four-bedroom homes as part of its aim to deliver multi-generational living at Andrews Place.

54North Homes

Yorkshire-based housing association 54North Homes has completed its £12m Leonora House scheme, delivering 58 flats for social rent in Leeds.

These comprise 28 one-bedroom, 25 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments.

Westward Housing and Classic Builders

Classic Builders has started work on 43 new affordable homes for Westward Housing Group in Colebrook, Plympton.

There will be 20 homes available for social rent to local people and 14 for shared ownership. In addition, nine rent-to-buy homes will provide an opportunity for people to save for a deposit so they can then buy the home they are renting.