Abri and Vistry acquire Ford Airfield site for 1,500 homes

Abri and Vistry Group have formed a 50:50 joint venture to acquire the former Ford Airfield in West Sussex from Wates Developments. The pair plan to deliver 1,500 homes on the 900-acre site, along with a 60-bed care home, a local centre for commercial and retail use, 16,000 sq ft of community and leisure space, and extensive public realm. The plans for the site, which was used during the Battle of Britain, were submitted by Wates Developments and Redrow’s Southern Counties division in 2020. It was earmarked for residential development in the Ford Neighbourhood Plan and Arun District Local Plan. Abri and Vistry’s scheme will provide 50% affordable housing, in a mix of shared ownership, first homes and rented tenures, with Ford Community Land Trust having first right of refusal on the affordable housing delivered via the section 106 agreement. Gary Orr, group chief executive of Abri, said: “This development will provide many hundreds of new, quality affordable homes, as well as new services and facilities for the local community. By working in joint venture with Vistry, we’ve unlocked the full potential of the site, making sure it delivers the best outcome for the community. “We want to play our role tackling the nation’s housing crisis and Ford Airfield will contribute significantly to Abri’s commitment to build 10,000 homes by 2030.” Stephen Teagle, chief executive of Vistry’s Countryside Partnerships, said: “We have a well-established, long-term relationship with Abri, and Ford Airfield perfectly supports our strategy of delivering a significant number of mixed-tenure homes with affordable housing partners. Through our joint venture, we’re able to increase the level of affordable housing across the whole site from the 30% planning requirement to 50%.”  More planning in West Sussex >>