New figures have revealed the tremendous progress made in the construction of Sherford, the new Devon community, in just two years. Since construction began in 2016, over 120 homes have already been completed and another 150 are in progress. Sherford is already a thriving new community with over 89 residents now living at the town and more poised to move in.
Emma Smith, Sales and Marketing Director, Sherford Consortium – the partnership of homebuilders responsible for the new community, Bovis Homes, Linden Homes and Taylor Wimpey – said: “As a town set to be home to over 12,000 people, the work and manpower which has already taken place to create Sherford in two years is fantastic. This goes beyond the construction of the homes, as it includes the extensive planning and infrastructure required to ensure Sherford is a high quality, sustainable new community.
“The past two years have been packed with major milestones, from placing the first brick and opening the doors of the first homes, to welcoming residents and beginning construction of the first school; we are turning the vision of Sherford into a reality. With work continuing to progress quickly, we look forward to sharing many more exciting news and milestones this year.”
Cllr Michael Hicks, District Councillor for South Hams District Council, said: “Sherford is unfolding before our eyes at a stunning pace. We are part of history in the making as we witness this incredible project and sustainable community come together piece by piece.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of the project is the number of people who now have jobs and new homes all as a direct result of this development. Although we still have quite a way to go, I can’t wait to celebrate more Sherford milestones in the near future.”
Devon County Council Leader John Hart said: “I welcome the progress at Sherford. Devon County Council is supporting the construction of the new primary school, which should open by September, and the new High Street link (partly funded by the Department of Transport) to the A38.
“I’m sure these developments, working with the consortium and other partners, will enable prospective residents to realise that Sherford is more than a new town, it’s a lifestyle choice, and the partnership approach in developing Sherford is developing a sustainable vibrant new community.”
Construction Milestones
- Since construction of the town began in 2016, over two million bricks have been used to date at Sherford, along with over 7,000 tonnes of cement. As key construction materials, these have been used to create homes, buildings, roads and pavements throughout the community.
- Over 300 workers and 30 apprentices have been involved in the construction of Sherford, with over 160 workers active at the site every day. This includes construction contractors, such as bricklayers, carpenters, electricians and plumbers, as well as landscapers, ecological consultants, engineers, architects and groundworkers.
- Over 20 new roads have been created, including the first phase of Sherford’s Main Street, Hercules Road. All of these are set to be named to the theme of constellations, and already include Pegasus Place, Aquarius Drive, Libra Avenue and Dorado Street.
- Over 3.5 miles of drainage has been placed to date, with many of the first homes and residents already benefitting from cutting-edge sustainable drainage systems. that mimic nature in the way that rainwater is managed.
Green Space
- The Sherford Consortium has invested more than £1.6m towards eco-friendly initiatives on the site so far, with more to follow.
- To date nearly 62,000 trees have been planted at Sherford, along with 200,000 plants and shrubs. Sherford’s community park, some of which is set to be open to the public in 2018, will provide access to countryside walks around the new town. Work has also begun on more outdoor space and facilities, with construction to start on multi-use game areas, sports pitches and tennis courts, as well as preparation for play areas and allotments.
- A huge amount of effort has been made to create new wildlife habitats throughout the community, including designing and constructing wildlife corridors. These form a network of green spaces connected across the site, enabling wildlife to thrive and encouraging bio-diversity. Additionally, 2.3km of existing hedgerows have been carefully transplanted to save important seed banks.
- Work on Sherford’s main entrance has now been completed, an impressive 400m long vertical planted wall. This has been embedded with over 30,000 plants, including climbing daisies, ivies, gorse and ferns that have been transplanted from the existing site.
What to expect in 2018
- Completion of Sherford’s revolutionary new £370,000 Skills Training Centre, which is set to open in Spring 2018. The training centre will engage military veterans, apprentices, local contractors, as well as those currently working at Sherford, boosting manual skills by providing training and experience across a number of major construction trades.
- Construction of Sherford’s first primary school, Sherford Vale, is already well underway, with the school set to open its door to the first pupils in September 2018. Representing a £6m plus investment into the community infrastructure, on completion 420 primary places will be available to children between the ages of 2-11 years old, and is the first of three planned primary schools at the new town. For those interested in applying, or to find out more information about Sherford Vale, visit: http://www.sherfordvaleschool.co.uk/page/?title=How+to+apply&pid=22
- The first part of Sherford’s 500-acre community park is set to officially open to the public in the early summer of 2018.
- Work is set to begin later this year on Sherford’s school/town Square, which is expected to be the location for a host of future community events, from local food markets, to school fairs.
- With the first homes now completed, work is already starting on Sherford’s first business and commercial spaces. The layout of Sherford has been designed so that businesses will work harmoniously together to create economic sustainability. This will generate an abundance of job opportunities for residents, so they can work, live and shop at Sherford.
- Devon County Council successfully bid for £5m awarded in Department for Transport Government funding in 2017, alongside a Sherford Consortium investment of £3m, and as part of a commitment in improving the region’s transport links, work will commence later this year on delivering the spine route which will be known as Main St. The new route, extending from Deep Lane to the A38, will act as the main access point for the town, unlocking up to 4,200 new homes and 83,000m2 of employment and commercial space.
-ENDS-
For more information about Sherford visit: www.sherford.org
