Grosvenor Britain & Ireland has been appointed to promote the development of a new community of around 2,500 homes on land north west of Hailsham in East Sussex.
The business’ Strategic Land team has signed a partnership with local landowners and will seek allocation of the site within the Wealden Local Plan. Grosvenor will design a place fit for 21st century life alongside the community – reflecting on how COVID-19 has changed attitudes to working patterns and people’s desire to have natural open space and facilities on their doorsteps.
Acting as a master developer, Grosvenor will run an extensive programme of public engagement in line with the commitments in its community charter Positive Space, launched earlier this year. This approach aims to enhance local involvement in consultations, particularly from under represented groups, and make participation by all as easy as possible.
Meeting Grosvenor’s environmental goals, any plans created would centre on low carbon development and sustainable travel, with green space and greater access to nature at their heart. All Grosvenor’s schemes aim to deliver a net biodiversity gain and the team see huge opportunity to create a significant riverside park and open up greater access to the Wealdway walking route, benefiting both new residents and those living locally.
Louise Houston, Development Manager, Strategic Land, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, commented: “The pandemic has made people reflect on the way they want to live and what community means in the 21st century. Listening to and meeting these changing priorities in the way we design and deliver new places is more important than ever – so that we can create communities that people are proud to call home.
“We look forward to working with the local authority and residents to make this ambition a reality at Hailsham.”
This partnership continues the expansion of Grosvenor’s Strategic Land portfolio which is focused on bringing forward new sustainable communities in areas of economic growth where housing need is most acute. The team is currently working on eight sites across the south of England capable of delivering over 18,000 homes including at Trumpington Meadows in Cambridge and Barton Park in Oxford.
