Bracknell Forest Council has appointed Countryside to develop a revised version of its town centre regeneration with almost half the homes of initial plans.
The council has ditched plans for around 700 flats in favour of 400 homes, with a combination of flats and large family houses.
Joint venture partner Countryside led the shift to low density housing, which it said was more appropriate for one of the main sites.
The £124m project will see the redevelopment of six acres at three council-owned sites at Market Street, Jubilee Gardens and Coopers Hill.
Bracknell and Countryside have opted to deliver 350 flats, with 50 low-density family homes on the Coopers Hill site. They said this also supported a number of the council’s other strategic objectives.
A planning application for the sites will be submitted in early 2021. It will include 35% affordable housing, a new health centre, restaurant, gym, office space and community facilities.
Bracknell said the partnership will have the opportunity to boost the number of homes by bringing other council-owned sites into its control.
Last year, the council appointed Avison Young to secure a jv partner, with a vision to deliver 700 flats as part of the wider £300m town centre regeneration.
It marked the first time the council has approached a 50:50 deal of this kind, with the council planning to take loans from the Public Works Loan Board to fund the regeneration.
Bracknell is the first post-war new town to be comprehensively masterplanned, demolished and redeveloped. The Lexicon is one of the largest urban regeneration schemes created in the UK over the past decade.
Marc Brunel-Walker, executive member for economic development and regeneration at Bracknell Forest Council, said: “The council has a strong track record of working closely with developers to regenerate the town centre, which is taking place in phases.
“The first two phases were hugely successful with the award winning The Lexicon being delivered to provide the borough’s social and cultural heart.”
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