Nurton Developments (Quintus) Ltd has comleted a major residential land deal at its flagship mixed-use development at Branston Locks, Burton upon Trent.
Places for People (PfP) – the social enterprise – has acquired 103 acres on the scheme to support its ambition of accelerating the delivery of affordable housing across the country.
Tim Gardiner, group development director from Places for People, said: “We are delighted to get involved in this development which will see around 1500 new mixed-tenure homes delivered including private sale, affordable rent and shared ownership.
“PfP is committed to supporting the government’s ambitious target to build 1.5 million homes and is experienced in creating and supporting thriving Communities. Developments like this, which contribute positively to the local area, are vital in providing much-needed housing, particularly affordable housing, as well as improved infrastructure, and enhanced community facilities.”
Previous residential land deals on the site have been completed with national and regional housebuilders including Crest Nicholson, Taylor Wimpey, Lovell, and Cameron Homes. To date, more than 500 homes are occupied, with a further 400 under reserved matters approval.
Nurton Developments began its vision for Branston Locks in 2008. Over the past two decades, it has acted as master developer—investing £8m in the delivery of primary infrastructure, supported by a Strategic Infrastructure Award to help deliver 2,500 homes alongside one million sq ft of commercial space, designed to create up to 3,000 jobs.
Extensive green infrastructure, open spaces for sports and recreation, and the development of a secondary free school and a primary school were also included as part of the strategy to create a sustainable community.
The new primary school opened in September 2024, operated by the John Taylor Multi Academy Trust, alongside a newly built secondary school adjacent to the site. This ensures access to education from early years through to sixth form secured through a Section 106 agreement that provided a site and £18m in education contributions.
Work is also due to complete on the £10m upgrade of the Branston Junction, designed to future-proof the local road network.
Ian Willicombe, development director at Nurton Developments, said: “This sale represents a major milestone for the scheme and Nurton, demonstrating the quality of Branston Locks as a strategic location and underlining our strength as a business to deliver a scheme of this scale and invest at an early stage to bring forward one of the UK’s largest urban extensions.
“As a master developer, we’ve taken the site from former agricultural land to a thriving and sustainable community, and we feel Places for People are the right fit for the scheme—a respected provider who shares our long-term vision.”
Willicombe added: “Our approach has always been about creating value through thoughtful placemaking—not just unlocking land. We’ve focused on delivering a balanced, liveable environment. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved as a team and look forward to continuing to develop the commercial element as a key employment location for the region.”
