Unique partnership model for Welborne
The Buckland Group, who are building a new, modern garden village in Hampshire, have struck a groundbreaking partnership with three regional housebuilders, CG Fry & Son, Thakeham and Pye Homes to build the first 600 of the 6,000 homes in what will be a twenty-first century, sustainable community.
Prioritising quality, regional housebuilders to undertake the first phase of construction was crucial for Buckland as they wanted to provide skills, training and jobs for local people and opportunities to diversify housing types.
However, in a break from the way deals are traditionally done between land owners and builders, Buckland has created a new business model that means the family run firms do not have to pay for the land the homes are being built on until they are sold, allowing them to take part in the visionary village located north of the town of Fareham on the edge of the South Downs in Hampshire.
The homes will start to be built early next year and it is planned that the first residents will move in towards the autumn. Community aspects like pubs and shops with local produce will also be ready on the £2bln project that will eventually have three primary schools, one secondary school, 20 nurseries, 13 playgrounds, 11 hectares of sports facilities, 10,000 sq m of retail space, 105,000 sq m of business space and 84 hectares of park and woodland.
Buckland’s approach to development, using build partnerships is widely different from the standard model of house builder development. Buckland’s model will create a context of cohesive architecture with variation through considered build detailing and use of quality building materials. The town architect, Ben Pentreath has designed a garden village with a particular style to reflect its location in Hampshire.
John Beresford, Managing Director of Buckland Development Ltd who led the house builder selection process said: “
“At Welborne, we have formed partnerships in a new kind of business model where Buckland has a share in the risk and reward with our chosen partners.
Our three partnerships won’t pay for the land until the homes are sold, which means that smaller, quality driven builders are able to build schemes that would have normally been reserved for large volume companies. In essence, we’ve designed a financial structure that enables the high-quality craft builder to construct on a large development such as Welborne.
This approach is groundbreaking and future residents of Welborne will reap the benefits for generations to come.”
Charlie Dugdale, Head of Development Partnerships at Knight Frank represented Welborne Land Ltd in entering into the three partnerships.
“Having studied other examples both domestic and international whilst working on the government’s Building Better Building Beautiful Commission we concluded that the long-term Welborne vision could not be guaranteed unless the landowner exerted real control through ongoing ownership. The team devised an innovative governance structure: not only has the landowner become a ‘Master Developer’, but it is also now a housebuilder working in partnership with three regional SME builders. This means that the landowning entity will exert its custodial responsibilities on Welborne to ensure it becomes a place that engenders civic pride and is a great place to live.”
Philip Fry, Managing Director of CG Fry & Son, based in Dorchester, Dorset, concurs,
“Tradition and craftsmanship run through the blood of our family business. Every development we work on is a bespoke exercise in recreating the features and characteristics that are typical of the surrounding area.”
Rob Boughton, CEO of Thakeham, in Billingshurst, West Sussex, believes that a development is much more than new homes.
“At Thakeham, everything we do is focused on the communities we create and the wellbeing of those within them. With Welborne, we have an opportunity to build a generation-spanning, sustainable community, a great place to live, and create jobs and training opportunities in the housebuilding industry for local people. Welborne will create a legacy that we all can be proud of.”
Graham Flint, Managing Director of Pye Homes comments,
“It’s our mission to leave a positive and lasting impact in the communities in which we deliver homes, something which is a part of our long-standing history, and we will always continue. This is why we are excited by some of the innovations that the Welborne project offers. For example, the ground source heat network system that will heat our houses uses considerably less energy than traditional heating methods and saves more carbon as a result. That is better for the planet, and for the residents.”
The first phase of Welborne construction will commence early 2024.