Land deal to bring forward 400 homes in Melton Mowbray

Land promoter Richborough Estates has sold a major housing site in Melton Mowbray to Bloor Homes.

Located off Scalford Road, the site will deliver 400 homes, including affordable properties, open space and over five acres of expansion land for the adjoining John Ferneley College.

Richborough Estates secured an allocation for the site in the Melton Local Plan as part of the multi-million pound Melton Mowbray Distributor Road – a key priority for Melton Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council.

The purpose of the bypass is to relieve traffic congestion in the town centre, while also unlocking land for employment space and around 3,000 homes.

Jonathan Bloor, managing director (Western Division) at Richborough Estates, said: “This is a site we began promoting on behalf of our landowner – a local education charity – in 2013 and is a great example of our commitment to plan-led strategic land.

“Following extensive promotion work, we secured an allocation in the now adopted local plan in 2018. We subsequently secured an outline planning consent in 2019 which set the development parameters for our housebuilder partners to base their offers on.

“We are very impressed with the speed at which Bloor Homes stepped in after we withdrew the contract from the original housebuilder due to delays associated with Covid. We look forward to seeing their much-needed new homes start to come out of the ground later this year.”

Mike Kelly, regional managing director of Bloor Homes East Midlands, added: “Working closely with Richborough Estates, we are delighted to have completed the acquisition of the Scalford Road site in Melton Mowbray for 400 new homes.

“The site is in an excellent location for people to live, with good connectivity, amenities and open space nearby.

“A Reserved Matters application has been submitted for 159 new homes on Phase 1, with construction due to commence in early spring.”