Construction at Hatchfield Farm in Newmarket set to start by end of the year
The company behind Newmarket’s Hatchfield Farm has revealed more details about the timescale for the controversial 400-home development.
Kate Goldie, planning manager for the Vistry Group, which has bought all the land to be used for housing from the landowner Lord Derby’s Sansovino Developments, spoke to members of Newmarket Town Council’s planning committee on Monday ahead of submission of its detailed plan to West Suffolk Council.
She said that if approval was given, building of the new homes would start at the end of this year with the first phase of properties completed by the end of 2025 and the whole development scheduled for completion in early 2029.
“We will be building it as quickly as we can,” she said.
West Suffolk Council agreed the masterplan for the development back in 2019 with the outline application for 400 new homes granted in 2020.
It is now consulting on the application’s reserved matters – the details not included in the outline planning application – which will be determined by future planning approval.
Consultees, which include the town council, have until Friday, June 14, to give their views.
Cllr Rachel Hood, chairman of the planning committee, who led the fight to stop the development, asked Ms Goldie to arrange a site visit for councillors before they gave gave their view on the detailed plan.
“We want the best for the town and hopefully you do too,” she said.
Ms Goldie said the housing would be built in four different character areas and would include a mix of private, affordable and social housing, disabled access bungalows and three storey apartment blocks at either end of the development.
Properties would have parking spaces and would be sustainable with electric vehicle charging points and solar panels.
Responsibility for the main spine road through the development, access points on to Fordham Road and all public open space, which will include play and games areas, still rests with the landowner.
