Council-owned sites in Herefordshire that could be built on

Herefordshire is poised to set up its own housing development company – due, it says, to “a critical need for additional housing in the county”. But there are some surprises in the list of council-owned sites that it could then build on.

The move was urged by a council scrutiny committee, drawing on a report it commissioned on options for the council to address the problem.

This lists the larger council-owned sites around the county that could be developed as:

The Burghill Hospital Farm estate northwest of Hereford (400 homes). Developing this site “is not straightforward”, making selling it to neighbouring developer Taylor Wimpey an option.

Merton Meadow, Hereford (300 homes). Though funding of £2 million has been secured to address flood risk at this site, it “is currently a predominant part of car parking in the city”, the report said.

Bridge Street Sport Centre, Leominster (229 homes).

Land west of the Holmer North development north of Hereford (213 homes).

The Essex Arms site, Station Approach, Hereford (120 homes). A flood-reducing public wetland is also earmarked for this site.

County Bus Station, Hereford (85 homes). This is also earmarked for a possible multi-storey car park once the new transport hub at the nearby railway station is completed.

Three Elms Trading Estate, Hereford (77 homes).

Smaller sites listed in the report, in decreasing order of size, are the playing field off Chatsworth Road, west Hereford; the former Hildersley Farm and John Kyrle High School sites east of Ross-on-Wye; the top car park in Plough Lane, Hereford; Wall Hills Close, Kington; and Broad Street car park, Leominster.

Smallest of the sites are Kington livestock market; the former Holme Lacy primary school; Westfield special school, Leominster; the Arrow Building, currently a homeless shelter in Symonds Street, Hereford; and The Green, Grafton southwest of Hereford.

The report listed three models the council could take to achieve this: overseeing building and management directly; setting up (but retaining some ownership of) an “arms-length” housing provider; or forming a joint venture with an independent company.

The council is unusual in not having any such mechanism currently, the report pointed out. But “all require significant effort and resources, and take time to deliver”, it warned, and suggested starting with a smaller site as a pilot.

The council’s ruling cabinet is expected to formally back the idea later this month.