Work to start on Kidderminster Habberley Park estate

The new properties are to be built on land off Habberley Road, Kidderminster, after plans were approved for the scheme.

The Stop the Habberley Road Development Group previously staged two protests at the site, with hundreds objecting to the plans.

They raised fears that the highway infrastructure would not support increased traffic levels. There are also concerns over the impact on the nearby nature reserve.

Objectors held a demonstration on Habberley Road (Image: David Macdiarmid)

The Habberley Road site was released from green belt status following the passing of the 2016-2036 Local Plan in 2022.

The properties will be built by Vistry Mercia, part of the national housebuilder Vistry Group, under its Bovis Homes brand.

The housebuilder lodged a proposal for the 120 homes after a previous application for up to 124 from their development partner Richborough Estates was rejected by Wyre Forest District Council in July 2022.

It was revealed in August this year that the council faces "significant" costs, expected to be in the tens of thousands, after Richborough Estates successfully appealed against the council's "unreasonable" decision.

The planning inspectorate decided that the application should have been permitted. It was rejected by the council's planning committee over traffic concerns.

The site where the new homes will be built (Image: Bovis Homes)

Vistry is the appellant’s development partner on the Habberley Road site and they will deliver the scheme.

Construction work is due to get underway on the 13.8-acre site in the first quarter of 2024, with the first homes expected to go on sale in Spring 2024.

Bovis Homes has said that the development, which will be known as Habberley Park, will bring in more than £1 million of investment for local services and infrastructure as part of the planning agreement.

Freya Halsall, marketing manager for Vistry Mercia, said: “Our plans include a range of two, three and four-bedroom houses, four bungalows and provision for two custom-build plots for the private market, with a quarter of the properties being provided as affordable housing split between houses and apartments.

“Electric vehicle charging points and solar panels will be installed on some of the homes and almost half of the overall site will be publicly accessible green open space which is set to deliver a significant net gain in biodiversity.

“This is in addition to the £1 million investment we are making to improve transport, health, education and other local services for the benefit of new residents and the wider community.”

A human chain was formed as part of a demonstration against plans to build homes in April 2022 (Image: Stop the Habberley Road Development)

As part of the planning agreement for Habberley Park, Vistry Mercia has agreed to pay around £370,000 for education and £76,800 for healthcare, as well as providing funding for a range of transport-related projects including £291,532 for highway infrastructure, £225,491 for school transport, and £20,000 for a pedestrian crossing improvement.

The homebuilder will also contribute around £167,500 towards Habberley Valley Local Nature Reserve.

Habberley Park will comprise 90 private homes, featuring a range of two, three and four-bedroom properties – including four bungalows – and provision for two custom-build plots.

The other 30 properties will be provided as affordable housing for local people through low-cost rent or shared ownership, consisting of 18 houses and a collection of 12 one and two-bedroom apartments in one three-storey building.