Urban & Civic Selected as the Master Development Partner on Urban Extension Project

Posted by Carter Jonas - Building Consultancy on 19th July 2021 -

The property market has undergone a seismic shift as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Commercial leases in the leisure sector have changed forevermore and landlord and tenant relationships have either become closer and collaborative, or more fractured than ever. 

The £500m Baldock North aims to deliver up to 3,300 homes along with commercial uses and associated infrastructure, including new schools and a country park. Our professionals managed the tender process.

This procedure required establishing clear objectives and requirements for the Council and running a process of engagement with developers over more than six months. Detailed heads of terms have now been agreed. The Council will receive significantly payments and share in the value created by the scheme over the next 15 years. 

Robert Smith, our head of the national strategic land, said: “The proposed partnership allows the council to generate long-term sustainable financial receipts, have an active role in design and development of the urban extension and work with a leading operator in this field.”

Nigel Hugill, chief executive of Urban&Civic, said: “An urban extension of regional significance including a new country park, wrapping around a fine historic town with strong rail connections is absolutely what Urban&Civic is set up to deliver.”

Scott Crudgington, director of resources at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “We have an ambitious sustainability agenda in Hertfordshire and, importantly for us, this isn’t just about building houses. We want to create sustainable communities with the infrastructure to support them, where people can live, work and travel in active and sustainable ways, and we’re confident that Urban&Civic is the right partner to help us do that.”