Terra Strategic has agreed terms with five landowners to promote circa 96-acres of the proposed Banwell Garden Village development through the Local Plan process.
Having worked on the opportunity with North Somerset Council and local stakeholders for several years, preparations for a formal Planning Application can now be made for a minimum of 600 homes, associated infrastructure and community uses.
Located five miles away from Weston-super-Mare, off land to the west and east of Summer Lane, Banwell Garden Village is a key feature of the emerging North Somerset Local Plan 2038. Last year, a £97m Housing Infrastructure Fund grant was designated by Homes England for the construction of the new Banwell bypass, a secondary school and additional local infrastructure and amenity improvements. The provision of new housing is critical, as the funding is predicated on the delivery of associated residential development – alongside the key infrastructure.
James O’Shea, Managing Director of Terra Strategic said: “North Somerset Council is currently preparing to go out to consultation on a full version of the Draft Local Plan. With the funding for Banwell Bypass secured, this strategic development opportunity is very much taking shape now.
“The creation of this highly sustainable Garden Village will deliver an outstanding new community to the area, boosting the local economy in the process. It will also help to meet North Somerset’s annual housing targets at a time when the number of new homes being built in the UK has declined as a direct result of the pandemic. We will continue to work with the Council’s Officers, Local Councillors and all stakeholders to move forward with our plans.”
In its entirety, Banwell Garden Village could provide at least 2,000 new dwellings and associated employment land. The Terra Strategic masterplan vision also includes provision for a new Local Centre, green pedestrian and cycle links and 26-acres (10.5ha) of Public Open Space. The new community will complement the historic village of Banwell and enhance its attractiveness and long-term viability, while environmental improvements will be created by the diversion of through-traffic from narrow old streets onto the new bypass.
The character of the Garden Village street scenes will draw upon the semi-rural setting, blending sensitively with the landscape to the north of the Mendip Hills AONB. The new business space will benefit from good access to the M5, presenting appealing industrial/distribution opportunities. The popular seaside town of Weston-super-Mare already provides a focus for employment and leisure opportunities for the county, including the nearby Junction 21 Enterprise Area.
The five parcels of land assembled by Solihull-based Terra Strategic range from 3.3 to 41.2-acres and are included in North Somerset’s recent Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment Interim Report as a single site.
Terra Strategic is an experienced residential land specialist with a portfolio in excess of 10,000 plots. The company enters into agreements with landowners and then pursues, funds and secures an agreeable planning permission. It also has the financial resources to secure land with or without residential planning consent to assist landowners looking for a quick sale process.
Terra Strategic has a national reach, having recently secured additional residential land in Bedfordshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, The West Midlands, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.
