The housing association plans to build 200+ homes on the site 

Bromford Housing Association has announced its largest land deal to date.

The social landlord has signed a contract for a multimillion pound land purchase of a 19.5-acre site in Matson, Gloucestershire. 

Bromford plans to deliver over 200 homes on the land, which is close to the M5 motorway.

The site already has outline permission for 217 homes, which was granted by Gloucester City Council in April 2021. 

The association, which owns and manages more than 46,000 homes across the West Midlands and West of England, is aiming to submit a full planning application for a mixed tenure development comprising around 50% rental homes plus shared ownership and outright sale, to the city council by the summer.

Operations director Robin Smith said: “We’re thrilled to have secured this land which offers the promise of providing homes to hundreds of families. It’s our biggest land purchase deal to date and demonstrates our growing ambitions to invest in more large-scale projects which allow us to make a bigger impact in the community. 

“Over the months ahead we’ll be focused on drawing up plans to create a vibrant community of modern, energy efficient homes where our customers can thrive. Subject to planning permission, our in-house construction team will lead on the development of the site.

“This is a great start to the new year and we are also progressing further deals to secure even more land so we can continue to provide much-needed affordable housing across the region.”

The Matson site is less than a mile from Bromford’s previous biggest land purchase at Snow Capel, where planning permission was granted last year to build 180 new homes. Work on this site is due to start later in the year. 

The association’s in-house construction team has also started work on a 100-home development in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire during the past six months.

Bromford, which is the biggest social landlord in Gloucestershire, says its ambition over the years ahead is to reduce its reliance on section 106 agreements and to lead on more of its own developments – as with the land at Matson.