Work begins on 1,500-home village development

Work has started on creating 1,500 new homes on a former power station site in Derbyshire.

Countryside Partnerships, a mixed-tenure developer, is working with housing association Midland Heart to provide more than 400 affordable properties at Dracan Village, which is being created on the former Drakelow Power Station site at Drakelow Park.

Meanwhile, Sigma Capital Group plc, a provider in the build-to-rent market, will bring a mixed-tenure offer to the 1,500-home development.

The official start of work was marked with a ground-breaking ceremony, which was attended by representatives from Countryside, Midland Heart, South Derbyshire District Council and Derbyshire County Council, as well as MP for South Derbyshire, Heather Wheeler.

Adam Daniels, managing director of Countryside West Midlands, said: ” It is fantastic to be working with Midland Heart and the local authorities on this project, to ensure we are delivering homes that cater for everybody’s needs.

“This development is yet another example of Countryside regenerating underused land and transforming it into a community where people will love to live.”

Frank McArdle, chief executive of South Derbyshire District Council, said: “This marks the start of a major and long envisaged regeneration project, the aim of which is to create a sustainable community development in the southwest of the district of South Derbyshire.”