New £18.5m plan for 63 houses on Kirkby field could ease pressure on council

The council has been told by the government that it needs to build 1,000 homes within the district inside the next 15 years, on top of targets already identified.

It has now received a planning application for a new 63-home development on a five-acre site to the north of Diamond Avenue in Kirkby.

The £18.5 million development, which would be called Melrose, would sit on an undeveloped greenfield site that was formerly used for allotments.

If given the go-ahead, the development will comprise 11 two-bedroom homes, 29 three-bed and 23 four-bed, with ten per cent of those classed as affordable.

The plan has been submitted, and contracts exchanged, by fledgling housebuilder Honey, which is based in Sheffield and was founded less than three years ago.

Honey’s chief executive Mark Mitchell said: “Our in-depth market research has identified Kirkby as an excellent location for us to build our thoughtfully designed homes, which combine style, substance and sustainability.

“There is strong demand for high-specification homes in the area which suit the needs of modern living. Our range of homes available at Melrose would satisfy this.

“We are pleased to have exchanged contracts and submitted plans for this development, and now look forward to Ashfield District Council considering our proposals.”

The Diamond Avenue site, which is a ten-minute walk from Kirkby town centre, is currently empty and unused. There are houses to the north and east and allotments to the west.

The council’s planning officers have set a deadline date of Tuesday, April 15 for a decision or recommendation. But permission is likely to be granted because consent, which has now expired, was previously obtained for 72 homes back in 2007, and the site has long been identified by the council as suitable for housing.

Honey says it hopes to start work on the development during the summer, with a showhome opening in the spring of next year and the first residents expected to move in during the summer of 2026.

The planning application is also for a new access, landscaping, including trees and hedges, drainage and associated infrastructure works at the site.

Honey says access to the development would be via Diamond Avenue “in the form of a new priority bellmouth junction”.

Residents would benefit from 131 parking spaces, electric vehicle (EV) charging points and bus stops that are within 70 metres away.

A planning statement concludes: “The design of the development has been carefully considered in order to make a positive and high-quality contribution to the local character of Diamond Avenue, as well as Kirkby and the surrounding area.”

Since being launched in October 2022, Honey, which is backed by a private equity firm, has secured 19 sites across the East Midlands and Yorkshire. They will deliver 2,349 homes and a combined gross development value of £665 million.

The company prides itself on analysing consumer insights and trends to inform its house-type designs. This is to ensure they meet the needs of new homebuyers, including the flexible use of living spaces.

Standard features in every Honey home include bi-fold doors, individually designed and fully integrated kitchens, and boutique-style bathrooms with a signature free-standing bath and full-height tiling.