Homes England announces £43m funding for Burtree Garden Village

Homes England is to make a £43m investment to create the infrastructure required to enable the development of Burtree Garden Village in Darlington as part of the Government’s Levelling Up plans.

Burtree Garden Village will see 2,000 new homes built during a 20-year period as well as up to 200,000 sqm of employment space incorporating a new public park and nature reserve. 750 homes, along with the Homes England-funded infrastructure, form part of a phase one planning application, which has been submitted.

The infrastructure will open up the wider Garden Village site and establish the development’s quality through early development of the highways, sustainable travel links, green infrastructure, with almost half of the site comprising of green open space.

Hellens Group successfully obtained Garden Communities status from the government for the Burtree site in July 2019 and a proposed mixed-use allocation was included within the Darlington Borough Council Local Plan, which was formally adopted in March 2022.

Homes England, Hellens Group, and the council have spent a significant amount of time reviewing and refining the masterplan, to ensure that it meets Homes England’s acceleration, design quality and placemaking ambitions.

The proposed local centre, later living accommodation and park is to be constructed at the centre of the development and is key to establishing the sense of place and enhancing the desirability of the adjacent homes.

Marie Kiddell, head of planning and enabling for Homes England in the north of England, said “the funding that Homes England has secured for the Burtree project is vital for the delivery of the Garden Village and the creation of this landscape led mixed use development.”

Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive of Hellens Group, said: “Burtree Garden Village is a ground-breaking partnership between Homes England and Hellens Group, to accelerate housing delivery in one of 43 official Garden Communities across the country.

“Garden villages are essential to the growth of towns like Darlington, not just because they bring much-needed homes, including affordable properties, but because they put beauty and nature at the heart of design and infrastructure the support of local MP, Peter Gibson, has been invaluable. We are delighted to be working closely with Homes England in delivering this exciting project.”

Councillor Jonathan Dulston, leader of Darlington Borough Council, added, “Burtree Garden Village reflects this Council’s ambitions for growth. With the arrival of the Darlington Economic Campus along with many other exciting investments means the need for high quality housing in a fantastic development is needed more than ever.”

Peter Gibson, MP for Darlington, added, “I am delighted to see Homes England making the necessary investment into the Burtree Garden Village to unlock this exciting new Garden Village, which will provide homes, infrastructure, public amenities and jobs in the Northern part of Darlington, as our town continues to grow.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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