Kier Partnership Homes joined MMC2 Land & Regeneration (MMC2), Forest of Dean District Council, Bromford Group and the Homes and Communities Agency for a ceremony to mark the formal launch of an important regeneration project in Lydney, Gloucestershire.

Forest of Dean District Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and planning, Cllr Patrick Molyneux, formally cut the first sod at the golf course site, signifying the launch of Higher Lydney Park.

The entire development will eventually deliver 600 homes, 10 acres of employment space, substantial areas of good quality open space and could create hundreds of jobs. The first phase of this regeneration project includes 133 sustainable new homes, 53 for open market sale, 80 affordable homes, and significant infrastructure works.

Around 150 jobs, will also be created or safeguarded by this development project, providing a further economic boost for the area.


Cllr Molyneux commented: "This is a huge project for Lydney and the Forest of Dean district as a whole. We are pleased to be working in partnership to bring much-needed housing, including affordable housing, to Lydney for the benefit of local people. It gives me great pleasure to be able to cut the sod to launch the first phase of this major regeneration project today which is the culmination of several years’ hard work by everyone involved. This will not only bring new homes to Lydney but will also see the creation of hundreds of new jobs."

MMC2 Land & Regeneration managing director, Mark Russell, added: "Higher Lydney Park will be a new sustainable, mixed tenure community. I'm proud to launch the first phase alongside our partners from Forest of Dean District Council, Kier Partnership Homes, the HCA and Bromford Group. At MMC2, Lydney is a key part of our growing portfolio of sites. We are dedicated regeneration specialists and will be bringing forward more schemes to transform communities around the country in forthcoming years."

HCA Head of Area David Warburton commented: "We have invested £5m in this development to enable the first homes to come forward, and it is great to see progress being made on the site. Local people know only too well that there is a high demand for affordable housing in the Forest of Dean. This scheme will help to address that demand and I am sure it will make a real difference to the lives of local people and local families. The fact that local people are also set to benefit from employment opportunities created by the project also makes clear the economic importance of this exciting scheme."

(CD/GK)