Bellway has unveiled its vision for a new community of up to 3,000 homes with schools, shops and leisure facilities in Southend-on-Sea to help support long-term growth in the city.
The national housebuilder is exploring plans for two interconnected villages on land to the north of the city, which could form part of a wider community of up to 10,000 homes north of Southend, which is identified as a growth option in the Southend and Rochford draft Local Plans.
At the heart of the vision is a commitment to create a sustainable community with new infrastructure to benefit both new and existing residents. Potential facilities to be delivered as part of the development could include:
- Schools
- Leisure facilities and sports provision
- A local centre with retail and workspace
- Improved highways and public transport connections
- Healthcare facilities
- Publicly accessible green and nature-led spaces which would achieve a Biodiversity Net Gain in excess of the Government’s 10 per cent target.
It is estimated that a development of approximately 3,000 homes would generate around £18.75 million in funding towards infrastructure* as well as the potential to support over 10,000 jobs and bring further economic benefit to the local community created through home ownership.
Bellway’s approach reflects the ambitions of elected leaders in the city for land north of Southend to play a role in providing social and economic infrastructure to support expected long-term population growth in the area.
Bellway Strategic Land, which oversees long-term development opportunities for Bellway, has now submitted a request for an Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Opinion (EIA) to Southend-on-Sea City Council and Rochford District Council. This sets out the potential for a community of up to 3,000 homes in the two new villages.
The submission of the EIA is the first step in shaping the early plans for the two new villages, with detailed proposals expected to follow after extensive public consultation later this year.
Jamie MacArthur, Regional Planning Director for Bellway, said: “Southend urgently needs new homes to meet local demand, improve affordability and give people the opportunity to remain in the communities where they grew up and feel connected. These proposals would deliver a wide range of both affordable and market housing for people at all stages of life, including family homes and later-living properties.
“Meeting this challenge requires more than housing alone – it means creating well-planned, infrastructure-rich communities that provide schools, transport, green spaces, leisure facilities and local services so they can thrive over generations. That is precisely our ambition for this land to the north of Southend – village communities for all ages that support economic growth, enhance quality of life and bring new vitality to the area.
“Bellway has a proud track record of delivering high-quality and attractive new communities across Essex and these proposals are very much in keeping with that tradition. This vision is at a very early stage, and we are committed to consulting extensively with residents, stakeholders and the wider community to shape the proposals collaboratively over time.”
The proposals come at a time of growing housing pressure in Southend, with more than 1,600 households on the housing waiting lists in the city, over 400 households living in temporary accommodation, and affordability challenges that exceed the national average. The new community would make a significant contribution toward meeting local housing delivery targets of around 24,000 homes in Southend by 2040.
Public consultation events are planned to be held later this month. The first will be in Southend High Street on Thursday 26 February from 4pm to 7pm. A second event will be held at Shoeburyness Leisure Centre on Saturday 28 February from 10am to 1pm.
To find out more information about Bellway’s vision online, see landnorthofsouthend.com.
*Source – Home Builders Federation (HBF) housing calculator.
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