Blacks Solicitors supports Heywood Homes in the development of 35 “Low Carbon” homes

Blacks Solicitors has advised Heywood Homes on the acquisition and development of a site in Holmfirth, which will boast 35 “Low Carbon” homes with a gross development value of almost £13 million.

The development of the site is being facilitated and supported by the £5 million of finance from Homes England with Blacks providing advice to Heywood Homes on this funding.

The collection of 35 new homes is nestled in the Holme Valley, close to Holmfirth and will be known as Bluebell Meadows in reference to the landscaping that will be evident in the open spaces incorporated in the scheme.  The properties will be constructed as “Low Carbon” EPC A rated properties with high levels of insulation to achieve energy efficient operation and will be marketed under Heywood Homes new eco homes brand Hauser.

Headed up by Andrew Pedley, Partner in the Real Estate team at Blacks Solicitors, commented: “We are delighted to have supported Heywood Homes to successfully bring this housing scheme to the market alongside Homes England. It has been a pleasure to work with the team, offering advice on complex matters to ensure they can continue to offer environmentally friendly and EPC-A rated family homes designed in a manner not widely used in the sector.”

Blacks’ involvement first began in 2022 with acquiring this sought after site. Subsequently planning advice was given by Senior Associate Solicitor, Katy McPhie, including matters such as reserved matters approval, securing a further planning permission and addressing complex infrastructure agreements.

Heywood Homes was first introduced to Blacks through Andrew’s 10 year strong relationship with them and it has now been a client of the firm for more than three years.  Blacks continue to support in successfully bringing sustainable and modern housing schemes to the market.

Jonathan Mayo, Managing Director at Heywood Homes, added: “It was great to work with Andrew and the Blacks team again as, having worked together for some time, they help us to navigate through development constraints whilst achieving our environmental goals.  It was important for us to work with a funder who valued our ecological building principles, recognising the importance of all properties being EPC-A rated by using building techniques that are reducing carbon emissions, conserving energy and promoting sustainability; helping us to build a greener future by contributing to a healthier environment for generations to come.”

Joanna Simpson, Development Finance Manager at Homes England said:  “This development is an excellent example of the support that Homes England can provide ambitious SMEs through government funding and we are proud to be supporting Heywood Homes and partners on this project.

“The emphasis on sustainability in this development is particularly noteworthy, with all properties to be EPC A rated, a focus on the incorporation of outdoor spaces and the use of low carbon building techniques. This is a testament to how Homes England is able to support SMEs with our capacity and resources, and we encourage others to get in contact to find out if we can provide government-funding to kick-start their projects.”

The 28 strong Real Estate team at Blacks Solicitors has vast expertise in supporting residential housing developers on all aspects of real estate work, including advice on planning and highways matters, land acquisitions, infrastructure arrangements, site assembly issues, site setup and plot sales.. In the last financial year, the Blacks Real Estate team worked with more than 400 new clients and dealt with over 600 new legal matters.

The Real Estate team supports developers, investors, landlords and occupiers across the UK with specialist knowledge in residential development, energy, commercial development, holiday and home parks, banking and property finance, telecoms, property litigation, planning and enfranchisement.

Based in Kirklees, Heywood Homes is an experienced housebuilder, focused on providing unique and bespoke family homes. Founded in 2009, the business focuses on delivering a contemporary approach to housebuilding.

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