Barratt Redrow and PfP team up for 8,500-home garden town | Construction Enquirer News

The joint venture aims to deliver six interlinked villages across a 660-hectare site, combining housing, green infrastructure and community facilities in what partners are billing as a blueprint for future large-scale development. Around 1,950 of the homes will be affordable, with the scheme also bringing forward schools, leisure facilities and community hubs alongside 29,000 sq m of commercial space. At the heart of the plans is a landscape-led approach, with more than 410 hectares of green space, restored parkland and 15km of heritage trails designed to connect the villages and prioritise wellbeing. The project is expected to generate a £6bn economic boost and create thousands of jobs, with a long-term stewardship model put in place to manage the community beyond delivery. The scheme has been years in the making, with partners now looking to accelerate delivery following approval of the Strategic Landscape Masterplan. Greg Reed, chief executive of Places for People, said: “They say the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, and with Gilston we did just that. It’s taken two decades to get to this point, and now we are ready to roll.” David Thomas, chief executive of Barratt Redrow, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation project where we can create a modern garden town, connecting people to nature, and growing with the community.”