11 August 2025
Vistry sells final 57 affordable homes at Bishops Park thanks to Homes England funding
Interim Grant Funding from Homes England has enabled housing provider believe housing to acquire the final 57 homes at Vistry’s Bishops Park in Bishop Auckland.
The deal marks the final chapter in the development, which first received planning permission for 500 homes in 2012 under different ownership. With no progress for several years, Homes England funding helped to unlock the site, enabling Vistry to buy 99 of the 500 homes in partnership with Riverside, another affordable housing provider, in 2018.
After the success of this initial phase and with continued support from Homes England, Vistry acquired the outstanding 401 homes, this time in partnership with believe housing. Believe housing, which is one of the largest not-for-profit housing associations in the northeast of England, purchased 100 homes outright and secured an option to acquire an additional 100.
After taking up part of that option last year with the purchase of 43 homes, the housing provider has now completed the acquisition of the final 57 homes on the site – a deal made possible by the Government’s Interim Grant Funding programme announced in the Autumn Statement.
Sean Egan, Regional Managing Director, Vistry North East, said:
“Bishops Park is a brilliant example of what long-term partnerships can achieve, coupled with critical funding from the Government to unlock housing delivery. By working first with Riverside and then believe housing, and thanks to additional funding from Homes England, we’ve been able to deliver more than 200 affordable homes at Bishops Park, as well as introducing homes to rent or buy on the open market, providing a wide range of housing choice to local people.”
Kate Abson, Director of Assets and Development at believe housing, said:
“It’s fantastic to see Bishops Park progressing, and we are pleased to be working with Vistry to deliver 200 high-quality, energy-efficient homes for social rent and affordable home ownership. By taking on this number of homes, we’re helping to meet housing demand and creating opportunities for people to live in healthy, sustainable homes within a mixed and vibrant community.”
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Notes to Editors
Media contact: George Thomas: [email protected], 07581490111
Vistry Group
Vistry Group is a leading homebuilder developing in partnership to deliver sustainable homes, communities, and social value, leaving a lasting legacy of places where people love to live.
Operating across 25 regions, we build homes for those who need them right across the UK. Our partners include Registered Providers, Local Authorities, Homes England and Private Rented Sector providers.
Our timber manufacturing capability, Vistry Works, is at the core of our strategy to deliver more quality homes, faster.
We sell homes on the open market through three respected brands: Bovis Homes, Linden Homes, and Countryside Homes.
We are a multi award-winning homebuilder and the Group has again been awarded the 5 Star Rating by the Home Builders Federation following the latest industry’s Customer Satisfaction Survey. For more information go to www.vistrygroup.co.uk.