THE wait for thousands of new homes for Basingstoke could soon be over as the borough council is nearing completion of the purchase of freehold land at Manydown, after 28 years.
According to officers at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC), the completion of the purchase process is in sight and will pave the way for the construction of thousands of new homes in the area.
The detailed contractual documents are now being finalised, according to people close to the deal.
The main terms of the purchase were agreed by BDBC's cabinet in November 2023. It has now been revealed that the detailed legal and financial documents are currently being finalised.
READ MORE: Councillors agree purchase freehold of Manydown North land to get work started
The purchase comes more than 28 years after Hampshire County Council (HCC) and BDBC jointly purchased the 2,000-acre Manydown site on a 999-year lease for £10 million, with the aim of building houses.
However, the project has faced several delays over the past two decades amid changing leadership and a court battle.
The councils finally agreed to complete the purchase of freehold of the land in November last year.
Once the purchase is completed, the northern part of Manydown will see the creation of a new community with more than 3,500 homes and a 250-acre countryside park.
The councils are in a partnership with master developer Urban&Civic - part of the global charitable foundation the Wellcome Trust - to develop new communities at Manydown.
BDBC and HCC are also considering how the land to the south should be developed, and it could see an even larger community with 10,000 homes proposed later.
Meanwhile, the Manydown Overview Committee, which used to provide oversight on the development, has been disbanded as part of a wider council restructure.
SEE ALSO: Manydown: Building yet to start nearly 20 years on
Reports and updates that would have gone to the Manydown Overview Committee will now go to the Environment and Infrastructure Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
This committee was scheduled to meet on Thursday, June 6, to discuss updates on Manydown, but it has been cancelled due to the general election announcement.
The committee will next meet to discuss the updates on Thursday, September 5.
When asked about the Manydown committee, a BDBC spokesperson said: "Committees were reviewed to better align with the structure of the council. This was a recommendation after the Local Government Association’s peer review of the council. The changes – creating new overview and scrutiny committees - were decided at the council meeting in March. Reports and updates that would have gone to the Manydown Overview Committee will now go to the Environment and Infrastructure Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
"The steps to complete the purchase of land at Manydown, enabling development to start there, were agreed by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet in November. Since the terms of the purchase, which are commercially sensitive, were agreed by both councils the legal and financial documents are being finalised.
"It is a priority of the council to progress the development of Manydown with our partners."
Timeline of Manydown Development
February 20, 1996: HCC and BDBC jointly purchase 2,000-acre Manydown site on a 999-year lease for £10 million.
August 2003: HCC cabinet decides to earmark Manydown's west site as a major development area.
September 2003: BDBC cabinet agrees to include Manydown's north site as a proposed housing allocation area in the draft local plan until 2016.
November 2005: A planning inspector orders that the draft plan period should end in 2011 and the proposed housing allocation be removed.
2011: BDBC cabinet decides to exclude Manydown north site from consultation draft.
2012: The Manydown Company approaches High Court against the council decision.
April 2012: High Court rules against BDBC, saying the council acted unlawfully when refusing to build 8,000 homes on Manydown north site.
2016: Councils secure an allocation for the development of Manydown North for around 3,200 dwellings to be delivered up to 2029.
July 2018: BDBC cabinet and HCC approve the establishment of Manydown Garden Communities LLP as the joint venture vehicle to own the freehold interest in the Manydown North development site.
July 8, 2020: The Development Control Committee agrees to grant outline planning permission for a new garden community at Manydown North subject to completion of Section 106 Agreement.
July 28, 2020: BDBC and HCC enter into a partnership with master developer Urban & Civic and global charitable foundation The Wellcome Trust. Subsequently, Urban & Civic was acquired by The Wellcome Trust.
December 20, 2021: Outline planning permission granted following the signing of Section 106 agreement.
February 2022: Councils receive an alternative proposal from The Manydown Company for acquiring the freehold interest.
November 2023: BDBC agrees to purchase the freehold of Manydown to get work started.
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