You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Council in Essex approves housing association’s £1bn plan to build 2,850 homes
An Essex council has approved plans for a £1bn town centre regeneration project that will see a housing association build up to 2,850 new homes.
Thurrock Council granted the Purfleet-on-Thames regeneration scheme outline planning permission at a meeting last night.
The plans were submitted by Purfleet Centre Regeneration Ltd (PCRL), a joint venture between 11,000-home association Swan and mixed-use regeneration specialist Urban Catalyst.
Swan replaced L&Q on the regeneration scheme in 2017 after London’s largest housing association pulled out of the deal.
Swan will deliver up to 2,850 new homes under the plans, with around half using modular construction methods.
The association opened a 75,000 sq ft housebuilding factory in October 2017 with ambitions to use it for 600 new homes a year.
READ MORE
A new town centre with shops, restaurants and community facilities as well as a one million sq ft media village are set to be developed by Urban Catalyst.
PCRL said the project will create 2,000 new jobs for local people.
John Synnuck, chief executive of Swan, said: “Last night’s approval of our plans for the regeneration of Purfleet reflects both our long-term relationship with Thurrock Council, which is at the heart of PCRL’s delivery strategy, and our engagement with the local community.
“We will now all work together to create a thriving environment that provides much-needed new homes and services, alongside significant employment and educational opportunities for the local community.”
Ken Dytor, executive chair of Urban Catalyst, said: “This development will tap into the power of culture, creative industries and healthy living.
“The approval is the result of many years of work and has been shaped by our detailed engagement with the local community and stakeholders, who we listened carefully to in drawing up our forward-thinking social infrastructure-led proposals that promote health, education and employment.”
The project remains subject to agreement of a detailed planning application between PCRL and the council – including how many of the homes delivered are affordable.
Thurrock Council’s planning policy requires 35% of the homes to be affordable.
