The UK Government’s housing and regeneration agency, Homes England, has bought land at Ripon Barracks, which is set for closure, from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), paving the way for the development of 1,300 new homes.
The proposed residential area will offer housing and feature natural green spaces, a primary school, a community centre, and retail facilities to establish a new community.
In March, the site was included in a pioneering development strategy, with a revised cross-government approach to handling MoD land, which serves as a model for expediting the construction of new houses.
A ‘tripartite taskforce’ comprising the MoD, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and HM Treasury is currently working on implementing further planning reforms.
The collaborative efforts of Homes England, the MoD, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), and the Army Basing and Infrastructure Directorate have been instrumental in utilising the trailblazer approach to unlock the potential of this publicly owned site for housing.
The sale is part of the MoD’s Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) portfolio, which focuses on upgrading essential military infrastructure and divesting sites that are surplus to the MoD’s requirements.
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By GlobalDataNorth Yorkshire council has granted planning permission for the new homes, which will be constructed in stages.
The initial phase will commence at the now-empty Deverell Barracks site to deliver the first 150 homes.
Subsequent development will occur at Claro Barracks, Laver Banks, and the former Engineering Park following the Royal Engineers’ relocation to Marne Barracks in Catterick.
As the master developer for the project, Homes England will oversee the creation of vital infrastructure required for construction, including site-wide drainage, road networks, and other foundational works.
Additionally, the design of the new community will pay homage to the site’s military heritage through thoughtful design, landscaping, and interpretive features.
Core design principles will ensure the preservation and integration of the site’s historical elements, such as the linear parade ground layout and the original footpath network.
Homes England CEO Eamonn Boylan said: “This milestone achievement is the result of government bodies uniting to drive forward this government’s mission of building 1.5 million homes this parliament. By combining the MoD’s land assets with Homes England’s planning and development expertise, we’ve unlocked a site with a historic past which we’re determined will shape the development’s future.”
DIO major disposals deputy head Robert Smith said: “This is an important milestone in bringing forward Ripon Barracks for redevelopment and is testament to the strong collaboration between all partners involved. Ripon Barracks has a rich history, and this is an excellent example of how sites that are no longer needed by the military can be unlocked to bring real benefits to the local community.”
In line with government reforms announced last month to boost the construction of thousands of homes, Homes England plans to release more of its land exclusively to small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) builders.
