Plans revealed for 620 new homes in Kenilworth

More than 600 new homes will be built in Kenilworth - and the estate will include almost 250 'affordable' zero-carbon houses, Warwick District Council has announced.

The council’s housing company, Milverton Homes, has formed a new partnership with housebuilding and partnerships business Vistry Partnerships to build 620 new homes over the next eight years on 76 acres of land that borders the A46 and wraps around the east side of the former Woodside Hotel.

The council is investing £60 million into the joint venture and will receive 248 affordable homes, which are zero-carbon and built to ‘national development space’ standards.

Milverton Homes will receive a further 62 for private rent.

Catesby Estates, which sold the land, has said the sie will include a new primary school, allotments, equipped play areas, informal public open space and substantial highway, footpath and cycleway enhancements.

The authority has said that the new homes will be built to high environmental standards, responding to the climate emergency it has declared.

Through this initiative, the council has been able to negotiate that half of the site - over 300 of the homes - will be carbon neutral, with increased thermal capacity and air source heat pumps, "enabling the development to act as an exemplar for housebuilders and landowners".

With the aim of becoming a net-zero carbon organisation by 2025, Warwick District Council and Milverton Homes have already worked on establishing a Warwick standard, improving the developer specifications of traditional house builders to achieve more efficient homes.

The organisation says "this will make a considerable contribution to reducing the total carbon emissions within Warwick District by 2030".

In addition, these new ‘healthy homes’ will support an improved quality of life for those suffering with respiratory diseases asthma and bronchitis, nervous system, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as cancer.

The council's portfolio holder for homes, health and wellbeing, Cllr Jan Matecki, said: “This is really welcome news for the district. Our overall vision is to create healthy and sustainable developments that will stand the test of time; neighbourhoods that are inclusive and improve the lives of both new and existing residents. Through the provision of funding, the council can broker a greater stewardship role in place-shaping and meeting climate change objectives. “

Chair of Milverton Homes, Lisa Barker said, “This is an exciting partnership which will transform a key area of the district. All of this has been made possible by the investment from Warwick District Council and the development expertise of Vistry Linden and Vistry Partnerships. It will help to showcase what can be achieved by working together.”