Godwin Developments submits outline plans for new homes in Shepshed

UK residential and commercial developer Godwin Developments today announces that it has submitted outline plans for the creation of up to 50 new family homes on land south of Ashby Road Central, in the Leicestershire town of Shepshed.

The proposed scheme, which will be a mixture of house types, is situated on a vacant site next to the established community on Crowson Close, and is allocated for housing in the emerging Charnwood Borough Council Local Plan. When built, the development will contribute toward the delivery of much needed, good quality family homes in the area, including affordable housing. It will provide parking for residents and cycle storage for every dwelling, as well as private gardens and attractive house frontages.

The scheme will feature an extensively landscaped area facing onto Ashby Road Central, giving residents access to shared green space and adding to the appeal of the town. It will use native planting throughout and an attenuation pond to support sustainable drainage, while also retaining existing green boundaries for privacy and the promotion of biodiversity. As a part of the work to increase connections with the town of Shepshed, the proposals will improve footpaths, offering active forms of travel to new residents.

The development is advantageously positioned along the main arterial route into Shepshed with a range of amenities – including local primary and secondary schools, shops, recreational facilities, a wide range of other services and local employment nearby. It lies just over half a mile from junction 23 of the M1 motorway and approximately three miles from Loughborough, the principal settlement in the Borough of Charnwood.

Residents of the new development will benefit from access to local public transport routes, with bus stops a short distance away offering regular services to Shepshed, Loughborough and Leicester. Historic parks and gardens as well as Charnwood Forest and the National Forest are also within a short drive from the development.

Ketan Patel, senior development manager at Godwin Developments, said: “Our proposals for a residential development at Ashby Road Central are a logical extension to the town of Shepshed that needs to build 2,331 new homes by 2037 to satisfy growing demand. This will be a high-quality scheme that we hope will not only meet the expectations of local residents and support the Council’s strategy for sustainable development but will also promote Shepshed further as a desirable place for people of all ages to settle in and become part of the local community.”

Nick Harrison, planning director at Godwin Developments, added: “This application delivers on the emerging local plan allocation and successfully mitigates any potential adverse impacts of development consistent with the relevant provisions of the development plan.  The planning balance weighs heavily in favour of this sustainable development which will assimilate well with the established neighbourhoods of Shepshed, facilitate the provision of new local infrastructure and support the continued vitality and viability of the town.”

To find out more about Godwin Developments click here.

Acorn are proud headline sponsor of Somerset Art Works Open Studios 2021

Acorn Property Group are thrilled to be the headline sponsor of the Somerset Art Works (SAW) Open Studios 2021 event running between the 18th September – 3rd October 2021. This county-wide event presents work from more than 300 SAW Members in over 200 studios. Visitors have the opportunity to go behind the scenes and experience the working process, meet the artists’ and find out what inspires them.

In support of this, Acorn will be exhibiting the work of Angela Charles at our Cubis Bruton scheme in Bruton and Sally Muir at The Old Printworks in Frome. Both artists’ work can be viewed via appointment at our Show Homes, or via virtual tour during the event.

Carol Carey, Creative Director at Somerset Art Works said: “We are delighted that Acorn Property Group have chosen to support Somerset Art Works by being this years’ headline sponsor. Open Studios is one of the most exciting arts events in Somerset and presents a spectacular array of the creativity that is to be found in the county.

“After the challenges of 2020, it is great to see a local company, like Acorn Property Group, come forward to support Open Studios and all these amazingly talented people.”

Robin Squire, Regional Managing Director of Acorn Property Group’s Bristol Region said: “As a company working throughout Somerset, in a range of urban and more rural settings, we have always taken great interest in the existing communities that we are working amongst. Along with our design-led philosophy, we put emphasis on consideration to the local community and a sustainable future.

“Acorn fully recognises the importance of the visual arts and the contribution that they make to communities and environments.  The objectives of Somerset Art Works and the ways through which they achieve them, spoke directly to the values of Acorn Property Group and principles of Acorn Green and presents an exciting range of future possibilities for engagement and support.

2019 saw over 80,000 visitors engage with art and creativity across 135 Somerset venues. Despite 2020 being extremely challenging, artists and visitors adjusted to the new reality which has helped prepare parties for 2021. This year’s event is set to be the largest to date with more then 300 Somerset Art Works members and more than 200 studio spaces.

For 2021, visitors will be able to experience and explore artists’ workspaces in new and different ways. A fold-out venue map and listings, available to download on Somerset Artworks website, will help visitors plan their journeys and navigate the 16 days of Open Studios. Also new for 2021 is an Open Studios App, providing full venue details in an easily-accessible format, including art forms, accessibility information and opening times.

The App works offline and links to Google Maps to take visitors straight to the chosen studio.

Artists have made preparations to ensure that venues are Covid-safe including waiting areas and some venues may be open by appointment. Please follow the latest Government guidance when entering artists’ studios, including wearing a mask, hand sanitising, social distancing and complying with Covid safety information at each venue. Please check venue details before making a special journey- or phone ahead. Many venues will be happy for you to make an appointment.

Godwin inks agreements with Greggs and The EV Network for Stoke-on-Trent drive thru development

National property developer Godwin Developments has secured leases with leading British bakery chain Greggs and electric vehicle charging company The EV Network at its drive-thru retail development in Stoke-on-Trent, construction of which is currently under way and due for completion in Q4 of this year.

The scheme, which is now fully let, is situated off the busy A50 Baths Road in Longton near the Phoenix Retail Park. The development is eight minutes’ drive from the city centre and is also adjacent to a Tesco Extra supermarket and a McDonald’s fast-food restaurant. With the lease of the drive-thru unit agreed with Costa Coffee earlier this year, Greggs has now committed to occupying the second unit at the site, which is a drive-to. The Greggs unit will contain 16 indoor seats as well as some external seating.

Ketan Patel, Senior Development Manager at Godwin, said: “We’re delighted to have reached an agreement with national bakery giant Greggs at our roadside retail scheme in Stoke-on-Trent. The new store will provide a quick and convenient food-to-go offering to 60,000+ vehicles passing the site daily as well as the approximately 55,000 residents living within a 10-minute drive of the new outlet. Securing a popular operator like Greggs is a welcome addition to our scheme and will bring further custom to the site from the A50 and the Longton area.”

Francesca Michie, Regional Property Manager from Greggs added: “We are delighted to be growing our presence in the city of Stoke-on-Trent. We are looking forward to opening the store and envisage this will be very popular amongst local residents as well as commuters on the A50. We would like to thank the team at Godwin Developments for their highly professional and flexible approach in helping us create the unit that best fits our requirements.” 

As well as signing Greggs for the development, Godwin has agreed a lease with independent charging provider The EV Network. The company will provide six charging bays that will be available alongside the site’s other 35 car parking spaces.

Ketan added: “The proportion of electric vehicles on our roads is rising – with electric vehicles now expected to account for more than one in six new cars acquired in 2021. We therefore recognise the importance of making quick and rapid EV charging points available at the site. These will provide additional facilities to consumers as well as ensure the scheme’s longevity and sustainability.”

Matthew Guest, Acquisition Manager at The EV Network said: “The development represents a fantastic opportunity to bring ultra-fast, 300kW EV charging hardware to Stoke-on-Trent, enabling all electric vehicles to be charged in the shortest possible time. We are delighted to have worked with Godwin on this scheme and look forward to seeing the scheme in operation.”

Stuart Pratt, Director and Co-Founder at Godwin Developments, commented: “We are thrilled to be working with Greggs again, providing the nation’s favourite bakery chain with an opportunity to grow its market share and customer reach at this prominent high traffic location in Stoke-on-Trent. It is also fantastic to be partnering with the EV Network for this development who have been excellent throughout.

“Godwin Developments is a business with a significant experience with roadside retail schemes – including land acquisition, planning and build out – and we continue to seek additional sites across the country to support our customers expansion plans.

“We are also pleased to be working on this occasion with local firm Intium Construction Ltd, providing additional income and employment into the area.”

To find out more about Godwin Developments click here.