KEY DETAILS
Dracon Village
Location: Drakelow Park, Burton-On-Trent
Homes: 2,000
Partners: Midland Heart, Sigma Capital Group and Heylo Housing Group Ltd
Project Duration: 4 years
Gross Development Value: £396m
Land: Brownfield
Social Value: £2.24m
Introduction
Dracon Village is a major development located in the south-east of Burton-on-Trent. The site is being transformed into a vibrant, multi-brand and multi-tenure community, led by Countryside Partnerships and Bovis Homes (part of Vistry). The scheme will deliver over 2,000 homes across a variety of tenures, including open market sale, affordable housing, and private rental.
The project team has worked collaboratively with local residents and stakeholders to ensure the regeneration of the area reflects community needs and aspirations. Several parcels of development land have been sold to other housebuilders, including Barratt David Wilson and Taylor Wimpey, contributing to the diversity and scale of the scheme.
Beyond residential housing, the wider masterplan includes a retirement village, employment park, primary school, and two local centres, all supported by essential infrastructure. The development is designed to add long-term value to both new and existing communities, with a strong emphasis on connectivity, local amenities, and meaningful contributions—underscoring our commitment to creating places people love to live.
Housing Delivery and Affordable Homes
Dracon Village will deliver over 2,000 homes across a range of tenures—including affordable housing, open market sales, and private rental—through Vistry Group’s retail brands, Bovis Homes and Countryside Homes. The scheme showcases the strength of strategic partnerships, with over 600 homes delivered in collaboration with Sigma and Midland Heart, and additional bulk sales further reinforcing these relationships. A 2024 plot sale to Heylo also contributed to the project's momentum. These partnerships have been key to maintaining healthy cashflow and supporting a fast-paced build programme.
“We’re delighted to be building new homes on the site of the old Drakelow power station with our long-standing partners, Vistry. Homes for Sigma are being marketed under our BTR (build to rent) brand, Simple Life Homes. As the leaders in the BTR single family housing market, we’re thrilled to be able to offer local renters a professional rental service, teamed with Vistry’s high-quality specification and the total peace of mind of having somewhere to enjoy renting for the long-term. As a party that will inevitably have site presence even once the development is complete and for the foreseeable future, we’re pleased to offer the new neighbourhood a sense of community with ongoing annual resident events and outreach to local schools, sports clubs and charities. The location is unmatched with excellent transport links, well sought after schools and beautiful scenery surrounding the development. We look forward to seeing the development breathe new life into this beautiful area.”
Regional Managing Director
Community Facilities
The Dracon Village development has successfully tackled significant environmental remediation challenges while delivering essential infrastructure and a wide range of community-focused amenities. Key infrastructure includes the construction of three new roundabouts connecting to a central spine road, a new bus service, and the upcoming Walton Bridge and Bypass, fulfilling a long-standing aspiration of the Council and Walton-on-Trent residents. The scheme also supports sustainable travel through public footpaths linked to the Greenway Program and promotes environmental stewardship with a commitment to Biodiversity Net Gain.
While no community events are currently planned, the site includes key community facilities including:
- Primary school
- healthcare facility
- employment and commercial space
- Retirement Village
- A variety of distinct character areas contribute to a visually diverse and appealing streetscape.
Employment and Local Jobs
The creation of Dracon Village has enabled Vistry to collaborate with local suppliers and subcontractors, as well as a skills academy working with emerging talent. This partnership has contributed significantly to employment skills and opportunities, generating £2.24 million in social value.
This development has:
- 79 local Vistry employees on site,
- 270 local subcontractors
- 214 Level 2+ training weeks
- 277 apprenticeship and T-Level weeks
Commitment to Nature and Sustainability
Vistry is committed to Homes for Nature, a plan to help wildlife thrive in the places we build.
The development has:
- Ecological Management Plan in place to enhance, planting and habitat features across site during and following completion
Dracon Village sits on land with a rich industrial past, including a power station and railway sidings. To overcome challenges like contamination and underground obstructions, the site was divided into zones for tailored remediation. Clean soil was added to make gardens and open spaces safe. This major clean-up was delivered in close collaboration with the Local Planning Authority and NHBC, paving the way for a thriving new community.