Publication Date: 11-08-2025 12:00
Work starts on first homes at new garden neighbourhood in Durham
Construction work has begun on the first homes at the new Sniperley Park development on the north-eastern edge of Durham.
Bellway is building 368 properties at DH1, which forms the first phase of a planned garden neighbourhood of more than 1,900 homes.
Located on land to the north and east of Sniperley Farm, DH1 will consist of 276 properties for private sale under the Bellway and Ashberry Homes brands as well as 92 affordable homes for local people through low-cost rent and shared ownership. Many of the energy-efficient properties will feature air source heat pumps (ASHP) and PV solar panels.
Full planning permission for the 368 homes was approved by the Secretary of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, in August last year. County Durham Land LLP has also secured outline planning permission for a further 1,550 homes, a local centre, a public house and a primary school on a neighbouring parcel of land.
Emma Chesterton, Sales Director for Bellway North East, said: “Our DH1 development will be at the forefront of this ambitious and exciting project to create an attractive and sustainable new garden neighbourhood on the edge of Durham.
“We will be delivering a wide range of properties to meet the needs of local people, from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom detached family homes. A quarter of the homes will be provided as affordable housing to give those unable to buy on the open market the opportunity to secure a home close to friends and family.
“Inclusivity has been built into the design of these new homes. Two-thirds of the properties will be accessible and adaptable for wheelchair users, while 10 per cent have been designed to meet the requirements of older residents. As part of the development, four existing 19th century farm buildings on the site will be retained and sympathetically converted into new homes.”
As part of the planning agreement for DH1, Bellway will provide funding of almost £5 million for local infrastructure and facilities. The developer has also been given outline consent for an extension of the neighbouring Sniperley Park and Ride.
Emma said: “This significant investment will deliver benefits for both new and existing residents, with financial contributions being made towards the provision of a new primary school and nursery, the extension of an existing secondary school, a new healthcare facility and transport improvements.
“Alongside this, our development will also provide 19 acres of public open space, incorporating a linear park, a large area of meadow grassland with wildflowers and play facilities, where neighbours will be able to meet, exercise and socialise in a pleasant outdoor environment.
“With construction work underway, we are looking forward to releasing the first homes at DH1 onto the market this winter and welcoming the first residents into their completed properties the following summer.”
Bellway’s North East division will build 179 homes under the Bellway brand at DH1, while the company’s Durham division is delivering 189 properties under the Ashberry Homes brand at The Green at DH1.
For more information, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/north-east/dh1 and https://www.ashberryhomes.co.uk/new-homes/durham/the-green-at-dh1.
