Willmott Dixon’s strategic growth as a residential developer continues after it exchanged contracts on a deal to build 137 homes in the Surrey town of Godalming with a gross development value approaching £50 million.

In the latest move by the company’s development division Regen to increase its pipeline of homes for sale, it has agreed to acquire a scheme called The Keysite from Country Homes which has planning permission for 35 houses and 102 apartments just a short walk to Godalming town centre.

This project is the largest residential scheme in central Godalming, which is an attractive destination for commuters looking to relocate outside London, with a train station providing access to London Waterloo in 47 minutes. The Georgian designed theme for the houses, interspersed with two, four storey apartment blocks, will be an attractive addition to the town.

Willmott Dixon aims to start on site this autumn with demolition of existing buildings before constructing the new homes, which are planned for occupation by early 2015. Work will be carried out by the company’s in-house construction business, which each year builds over 1,500 homes, many for Regen, and is also currently involved in several residential schemes in London for other developers.

Andrew Telfer, CEO at Willmott Dixon Regen, said, “This is a real statement of intent that Willmott Dixon intends to develop homes on a significant scale. Using know-how within our Regen team and our in-house construction skills, we are carefully identifying projects to develop that offer a fantastic buying opportunity in popular locations and excellent opportunities for investment return. Investing in Godalming provides just such an opportunity.”

Regen now has over 2,000 homes in the pipeline, with its presence, track record and reputation in residential development growing significantly in the last three years. Its Brenley Park development in Mitcham recently took the Evening Standard award for ‘Best Development - affordable homes sector’, illustrating the quality and range of its new homes. The company is also behind Prime Place, a 181-home development in Greenwich Village that comes to the market this summer, and has recently started the ten-year regeneration of Aberfeldy Village in east London

Andrew continues, “The Keysite will provide high quality housing that will be an attractive addition to Godalming town centre, sustaining hundreds of construction jobs during the build period while attracting people to come and live in the town. We are very pleased to have secured this opportunity and will make sure we create a development that will enhance the town.”