Asylum site approval sought by Barratt

Should Preston City Council grant reserved matters consent, the housing giant will build out 477 homes in Whittingham, to the north-east of the city.

Outline approval was secured in September 2020 for around 750 homes across the 150-acre masterplan site, with Barratt David Wilson working alongside landowner Homes England to advance the project.

The asylum had come under the regeneration agency’s remit under predecessor body the Homes & Communities Agency’s hospitals programme.

Following that outline consent, detailed approval was given for the 248-dwelling phase two, and the 21-home phase 3a.

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The new application, validated this month by Preston, covers phases 3b, 3c and 4 at the masterplan site. Key advisors are planner Stantec, HTA Design and affordable homes consultant Resolve 106.

As set out in HTA’s visualisation report, the masterplan sets out 477 homes at a density of 36 homes per hectare, made up of detached, semi-detached and terraced homes.

There will be 408 private sale homes: 273 in Barratt house styles and 135 in David Wilson Homes styles. The affordable housing element of the project amounts to 69 homes, 15 of which will be social rent and the remainder shared ownership.

Along with the raft of housing coming forward, Homes England last year secured reserved matters approval for replacement sports and social club facilities in a £6m, six- acre development close to the hospital site. Construction is expected to start this spring.

The Barratt David Wilson proposals can be viewed on Preston City Council’s planning portal with application number 06/2025/0008.