620-home Warwickshire scheme first of its kind to break ground

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A unique joint venture partnership between Warwick District Council and Vistry Group is the first of its kind to get underway in the UK.

Two separate Midlands businesses within Vistry Group – Vistry Partnerships and Vistry Housebuilding – have commenced construction alongside each other for the first time, with both Linden and Bovis Homes-branded properties being built to be sold in tandem at the Kenilworth location.

Working in joint venture with Warwick District Council’s housebuilding business Milverton Homes, the development, on Crewe Lane, will also deliver a total of 310 zero-carbon (regulated energy) affordable homes with improved building fabric efficiencies and air source heat pumps.

Vistry Partnerships will build the 310 homes for Milverton and Warwick District Council plus another 165 homes for private sale under the Linden Homes brand. These will comprise of two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom homes, with the first expected to be complete by the end of 2022. Vistry Housebuilding will build a further 131 properties including a mix of three, four and five-bedroom house types, all delivered under their Bovis Homes brand. A dual-branded sales hub will open this summer, off Glasshouse Lane.

Darren Beale, managing director of Vistry Partnerships West Midlands, said: “This is a significant moment for Vistry Group – marking the first time Partnerships and Housebuilding have secured land and built alongside each other together whilst forming a unique joint venture partnership with a local authority housing company to also support and meet their housing needs. The Group will be seeking to utilise this innovative solution on future sites across the country.”

Paul Stafford, managing director of Vistry Housebuilding West Midlands said: “We are very excited to be working in unison with our Partnerships colleagues to provide more mixed tenure housing in Kenilworth. With a mix of brands, zero-carbon homes and significant open space, the site offers a great opportunity to create a long-term community. We have a fantastic portfolio of properties, and we look forward to engaging with home buyers in the months ahead.”

Lisa Barker, chair of Milverton Homes, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Vistry on this project, which will transform a key area of the district. All of this has been made possible by the investment from Warwick District Council and the development expertise of Vistry Housebuilding and Vistry Partnerships. It will showcase what can be achieved by working together.”

Councillor Jan Matecki, Warwick District Council’s portfolio holder for Homes, Health and Wellbeing, said: “This is really welcome news for the district. Our overall vision is to create healthy and sustainable developments that will stand the test of time and neighbourhoods that are both inclusive and accessible. The formation of Milverton Homes and our partnership with Vistry has allowed the council to take a stewardship role in the allocation of affordable and energy efficient homes, such as these to those who are struggling to get on the housing ladder.”

Richard Pell, Partner at Faithorn Farrell Timms LLP who are Project Monitors for the affordable homes, said “We are pleased to be involved in this project which builds on the success of earlier joint schemes between Warwick District Council and the Vistry Group to provide net-zero carbon homes which will surpass current requirements on thermal efficiency and energy consumption”.