Harworth Group has sold the second phase of its Flass Lane major development in Castleford, West Yorkshire to regional housebuilder Strata Homes. Strata intends to build 250 three and four-bedroom properties on the 19.7-acre plot, taking advantage of the site’s proximity to Junction 32 of the M62. With Keepmoat in the process of building out the site’s first phase of 157 homes, the deal leaves Harworth with the site’s remaining phase of approximately 10 acres, which it plans to bring to the market over the next eighteen months for further residential development. The overall development has an outline planning consent in place for 560 new homes. The purchase price was not disclosed.
The sale has been made possible through the start of construction of the planned 1.2km Glasshoughton Southern Link Road, providing a new access to the site. The c.€7m (£6m) road will extend from Whistler Drive and link with Flass Lane and the M62. It will provide an alternative route around the Glasshoughton Leisure and Retail area to reduce local congestion. Funded through the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund, it will also include a segregated cycle route. It will also make local bus journeys more reliable, encouraging more active travel and public transport use.
Peter Henry, Regional Director for Yorkshire & Central at Harworth, commented: "This is another fantastic deal for Harworth, with Strata Homes becoming our twelfth housebuilding customer across the UK. Once again the deal has only made possible through our strong working relationship with Wakefield Council, with the construction of the road essential in supporting the delivery of these much needed new homes to the district.”
Chris Davidson, Associate Director for Major Projects at Harworth, added: “Both Strata and Wakefield Council have been an absolute pleasure to work with in delivering this major milestone for our Flass Lane major development. We will now focus our management efforts in supporting the Council to get the road built across our donated land as efficiently as possible and work with Strata to get their product to market as soon as possible.”
Nigel Robson, Pre-Development Director at Strata Homes, said: “Strata are delighted to be involved in the development of this site which will bring many much-needed family homes to Glasshoughton. Strata and Harworth have worked collaboratively with Wakefield Council to gain planning consent for 250 new homes on the site. Works will commence on site imminently and we hope that there are more opportunities for Strata to partner with Harworth in the future to deliver new housing on other key development sites where there is an identified need.”
Cllr Peter Box, Wakefield Council leader and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee, said: “This new link road will underpin ongoing economic growth in Glasshoughton and a resurgent Castleford as well as making possible the construction of new, much-needed housing. And, like our other West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund projects such as the Wakefield Eastern Relief Road and the Kirkgate scheme in Wakefield city centre, it will contribute to improving local air quality by reducing congestion and making local bus services more reliable and attractive to use.”
