Housebuilders buy up two key sites in Melton borough

Bloors Homes has acquired land off Scalford Road in Melton for 400 new properties including a pledge to provide vital funds for the approved Melton partial bypass.

And Inside Land Group has bought a site at Old Dalby which has planning consent for construction of 25 properties.

The Scalford Road land was due to be developed by another company but that deal fell through due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

As well as the 400 homes, including affordable properties and extensive open space, the scheme will also deliver more than five acres of expansion land for the adjoining John Ferneley College.

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.”

The land is part of the town’s allocation for housing in the Melton Local Plan and building is expected to being shortly.

Mike Kelly, regional managing director of Bloor Homes East Midlands, commented: “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 One, with construction due to commence in early spring.”

The 2.7-acre site at Station Lane, Old Dalby, was sold by heb chartered surveyors, acting on behalf of Langar-based Hofton and Son, to Nottingham-based Inside Land Group, acting in conjunction with Pelham Homes,

A spokesperson for Pelham Homes said: “We are always looking for opportunities across the East Midlands and look forward to delivering high quality new homes in the popular village location of Old Dalby.”

The vendors were advised by Robert Maxey at heb, who commented “The market for residential land is incredibly buoyant at the moment, with no signs so

far of any adverse impact from the pandemic.”