New homes and school for Horton Heath: Council approves £154.2 million investment
Important milestone in exciting development
In a landmark decision, Eastleigh Borough Council has approved a significant investment of £154.2 million to fund the construction of the first 381 new homes, a brand-new primary school, and enabling infrastructure works at Horton Heath.
This investment marks an important milestone in the Council’s ambitious plans to deliver up to 3,000 much-needed homes at Horton Heath. Eastleigh Borough Council took the bold move to take over development of the 310-acre site back in 2018, after years of the private sector failing to move it forward. This investment is the culmination of five years of work to deliver infrastructure and planning, to meet the urgent need for housing and educational facilities in the area.
- Infrastructure First: The Council committed to break from the typical ‘developer’ approach and deliver the needed infrastructure either before or alongside, not after, building new homes. The new £11.7m road linking together Hedge End and Bishopstoke is already over halfway, and will be completed in Summer 2024.
- Meeting Housing Needs: The Council’s involvement has ensured that the mix of housing being delivered meets the needs of local people. The first phase will deliver 35% affordable, social rented, and shared ownership homes, and a further 33% of homes available for market rent.
- Sustainability & Wildlife: The Council’s approach to Horton Heath is an exemplar of sustainable development, with no reliance on fossil fuels – all of the first phase homes will be heated by ground-source heat pumps, and there is a 6.3 megawatt solar farm at the heart of the development. One-third of the site, more than 125 acres, won’t be developed, and the first of these vast new public open spaces and habitat areas were completed in September 2021.
- Future-Proofing Education: The Council’s investment includes the construction of a new three-form entry primary school, ensuring that the educational needs of the growing community are met. This follows on from the opening of Deer Park School, a new state of the art secondary school in Hedge End, in 2021.
- Economic Boost: The project will provide a significant economic boost to the area, creating jobs through our contracts and supply chain, developing new commercial and retail premises and stimulating local businesses. We're partnering with local schools and training providers and securing support from our development contracts to support employment and skills locally.
Council Leader Keith House said: “This is an important milestone and demonstrates the important, and innovative role the Council is playing in delivering these much-needed homes. We have ensured that the housing really does meet the needs of local people, with energy efficient homes being built for affordable tenants, for rent and for family homes. Importantly, we are also demonstrating that this can be done at the same time as delivering the right infrastructure and community benefits, not after development.”
“This scheme is more than just a housing project, it also represents a good investment in our community. In time it will contribute income to pay for our local services and support the on-going provision of affordable housing in Eastleigh.”
Key facts:
- An additional £38.4m investment to fund construction of 381 homes
- An addiitonal £115.8m to enable future phases
- Self-delivery of a new three-form-entry primary school (estimated cost £18.6m included in the above)
- 35% affordable, social rented, and shared ownership homes, and a further 33% of homes available for rent.
- Funded from future income from the scheme
- Business Plan demonstrates a positive contribution to Council finances and Housing Revenue Account (funding delivery of council housing in future)
Full committee report: Agenda for Cabinet on Thursday, 21 December 2023, 7:00 pm - Meetings, agendas and minutes - Eastleigh Borough Council (moderngov.co.uk)
