Land deal paves way for major residential scheme

Strategic land development firm Lands Improvement Holdings, part of the Telereal Trillium Group, has acquired the freehold of a major estate in Bedfordshire with a view to bringing forward a residential development of about 4,000 homes.The acquisition of the Alington Estate was said to underline Lands Improvement’s growth ambitions as it looks to take on more large-scale development opportunities across the UK.The agricultural estate of the late Nigel Alington comprises 1,119 acres at Little Barford south of St Neots, one of the largest towns in Cambridgeshire. It includes 17 tenanted properties, as well as a vacant Manor House in need of renovation, a listed farmhouse and a disused former schoolhouse.Located within the administrative area of Bedford Borough Council (BBC), the site has been identified for approximately 4,000 dwellings and supporting infrastructure within the recently published draft local plan.It is also set to benefit from considerable investment in major transport infrastructure improvements planned for the area.Lands Improvement will now begin working with tenants, Bedford Borough Council and stakeholders locally on proposals for a community-led scheme, which seizes the placemaking opportunity the estate offers.James Stone, managing director at Lands Improvement, said: “This site is a great fit for Lands Improvement in terms of our ability to make a long-term financial and professional commitment to planning and delivering places where people want to live, starting with the residents of the estate.”The acquisition underlines our growth strategy as a master seveloper and we are looking to take on more large-scale development opportunities of both promotion and freehold, across the UK with planning horizons ranging from 2-30 years.”