Date published: 05 November 2021
Lovell was appointed back in March 2020 by Homes England to deliver 412 homes on the former Defence Medical Equipment Depot, now known as Drummond Park.
Contracts have now completed and construction work on the first homes at Drummond Park is set to commence this month (October), with a scheduled completion date of early 2027. The first open-market homes will be available for sale in December 2021.
The development will comprise 103 affordable homes – 40 per cent Shared Ownership and 60 per cent affordable rent – as well as 309 two, three and four-bedroom open market Lovell homes.
Together, Lovell and Stonewater are exploring ways to recycle or reuse some of the waste from site during construction to create public art and communal benches for new and existing residents to enjoy.
Drummond Park follows Lovell’s recently completed homes for military personnel on the former Corunna Barracks site on Salisbury Plain in Ludgershall.
As part of the planning agreement for the new homes, Lovell is set to inject £4.3 million into local community services and facilities. Lovell’s investments will go towards the construction of a new primary school at Perham Down, the expansion of Wellington Academy, local bus services, highways, and recycling facilities.
Matt Crucefix, Director of Development (South and West) at Stonewater, said: “We’re pleased that Lovell shares our aspirations to provide homes that are comfortable, energy efficient and affordable for people to live in.
“Providing much-needed affordable homes is at the heart of everything we do, but a core focus for us is also ensuring that we create thriving communities for now and generations to come. To support our sustainability commitments, these homes will be built to meet future energy needs and will benefit from the installation of air source heat pumps.
“Drummond Park is our first development working in partnership with Lovell and we’re excited for work to get underway in the coming weeks.”
James Duffett, regional managing director at Lovell, said: “We are delighted to be working with Homes England and Stonewater to deliver this well-anticipated development, where we will be providing a variety of excellent quality new homes for house-hunters on all stages of the property ladder.
“As well as delivering significant investments to the local community, this scheme will allow us to create jobs and training opportunities and produce a place which people can feel proud to call their home.
“Following our recent success with transforming the former Corunna Barracks into a thriving new community for military personnel and their families, we are very much looking forward to delivering our carefully-planned and desirable new homes at Drummond Park.”
Lydia Meeson, Senior Planning and Enabling Manager at Homes England, said: “Homes England has been working for a number of years to support housing delivery on this brownfield site and we’re delighted that Lovell, as development partner, is now able to start building homes.
“As partners we’ve worked collaboratively to ensure that the investment into the site is translated into a deliverable commitment to high quality homes for a variety of people and I look forward to seeing the development fill with life in the years to come.”
Alongside the new homes, Drummond Park will also feature community parkland to the north of the site, including a wildflower meadow, walkway and seating areas.