JLL successful in obtaining planning permission for Sustainable Urban Extension in Burton

The challenge

Burton-Upon-Trent has been long overlooked despite being a well-connected, sustainable location with a thriving economy. The challenge was to truly realise these qualities for Burton-upon-Trent and put the town on the map for exemplary sustainable development to meet the growing needs of existing and future residents. These ambitions were realised through the 400-acre Sustainable Urban Extension located directly south-west of Burton town centre, at a former agricultural plot. And thus, the Branston Locks scheme was born and JLL was brought on board to provide planning consultancy services to turn the vision for the site into reality.

Branston Locks is a greenfield site which holds several strategic advantages, including direct access to the A38 at the Branston Interchange; and is in a unique setting, well-connected through existing roads and footpaths to the railway, town centre, existing residential areas and the canal.

It’s a site with incredible potential – no other site in the borough of East Staffordshire could have delivered this scale of growth – and JLL helped bring this forward.

The proposals

JLL acted on behalf of the client to obtain outline planning permission for a mixed-use development comprising:

• Up to 2500 dwellings, in a range of size, types, and tenures
• Up to 1,000,000 sq. ft of employment floorspace crating over 3,000 jobs
• A new local community centre
• A primary school to accommodate for new families locating to the area
• A hotel for visitors
• A vast amount of public open space
• Significant scale of green infrastructure

The development represents a true mix of uses that enhance opportunities for sustainable development to create a strong sense of place and foster a new healthy community within Burton-Upon-Trent.

East Staffordshire Borough Council agreed with JLL that the development would showcase exemplary good practice by providing one of the first large-scale Sustainable Urban Extensions in the UK.

Our approach

JLL’s Planning and Development team in the Midlands worked closely with the client, Nurton Developments, to successfully promote the Branston Locks site for allocation within the East Staffordshire Borough Council Local Plan and to subsequently secure outline planning permission for the mixed-use scheme. The team’s proactive, collaborative and diligent approach led to a fantastic result for the client.

More recently, the team is now working with Nurton Developments on the various Reserved Matters schemes and also on the discharge of condition planning applications for various plots within the site. 

Result

Overall, JLL succeeded in bringing the site forward through getting the site allocated in the East Staffordshire Council Local Plan and by obtaining outline planning permission for the mixed-use scheme. The JLL Midlands Planning team has received high praise from the client for the results achieved on this project and have worked closely with the client, the Council, and the community at all stages to ensure a sustainable, healthy mixed-use development where people want to live, work, and visit.