Vistry and Abri Partner to Deliver 314 Affordable Homes Across Bristol, Weston-super-Mare and Templecombe

Vistry and housing provider Abri have agreed three partnership deals to deliver 314 affordable homes across developments in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare and Templecombe, the companies announced Sept. 3.

The agreements cover 130 affordable homes at The Fosseway in Hengrove, south Bristol; 114 affordable homes at Locking Parklands on the edge of Weston-super-Mare; and 70 affordable homes at Manor Farm in Templecombe, Somerset. The deals support a mix of social rent, shared ownership and other affordable tenures.

The Fosseway: Brownfield Regeneration in South Bristol

The Fosseway is an 8.3-acre brownfield site on New Fosseway Road in Hengrove, south Bristol — the former New Fosseway School site — being brought forward through a joint venture between Vistry and Goram Homes, Bristol City Council's housing company. The scheme is planned for up to 200 dwellings in total, with the current partnership securing all 130 homes in Phase One as affordable housing through Abri. The site will also include 70 affordable extra care homes delivered separately by Anchor.

Vistry signed a further agreement with Abri for 65 affordable homes at The Fosseway, bringing the total delivered in partnership with Abri at that site to 130. Abri will develop a portion of the affordable homes at The Fosseway and Locking Parklands — 214 units combined — with grant funding support from Homes England, the government's housing and regeneration agency, alongside its own investment.

Stephen Baker, Managing Director at Goram Homes, said: "We're delighted this deal with Abri will secure all 130 homes in Phase One of The Fosseway as affordable housing. It's a great example of how strong partnerships between developers, housing associations and the public sector can deliver much-needed homes for local communities."

Baker added that The Fosseway is one of several major developments Goram Homes is delivering with Vistry across Bristol, alongside One Lockleaze, The Brooklands and Phase One of the 1,435-home Hengrove Park masterplan. He said the partnership enables the delivery of mixed-tenure neighbourhoods at approximately 50% affordable across the portfolio.

Locking Parklands: State-Backed Regeneration on Former RAF Site

At Locking Parklands, Abri will own and manage 114 affordable homes within Vistry's 229-home development on the former RAF Locking site. The homes will be delivered alongside the first phase of a new high street, which includes 12 commercial spaces, as part of a wider masterplan for around 2,000 homes — subject to planning permission — on the Homes England-led regeneration site.

Manor Farm: Mixed-Tenure Development in Somerset

At Manor Farm in Templecombe, Abri will own and manage 70 affordable homes within a new 140-home mixed-tenure development. The 26-acre scheme will include a range of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, alongside public open space, landscaping, biodiversity enhancements and associated infrastructure. Unlike the Bristol and Weston-super-Mare deals, the affordable homes at Manor Farm will be delivered through a joint venture arrangement supported by partner investment rather than Homes England grant funding.

Partnership-Led Delivery Model

Susan Scholfield, Regional Managing Director of Vistry Bristol, said: "These agreements mark another important milestone in our partnership with Abri and will deliver 314 affordable homes across three key South West sites. From regenerating brownfield land in Bristol to supporting the next phases of Locking Parklands and creating a new mixed-tenure community in Templecombe, each development demonstrates the strength of partnership-led delivery and our shared commitment to providing high-quality homes where they are needed most."

Sally Ingham, Director of Development at Abri, said the homes would provide more opportunities for individuals and families to access affordable housing across the South West. "Through our partnership with Vistry, we're helping to meet local housing need while creating places that support long-term wellbeing and opportunity," Ingham said. "This commitment also supports our ambition to deliver 20,000 homes by 2036, ensuring more people have access to a safe, secure home."

The three deals reflect a structure in which Homes England land and grant support, housing association ownership, and public-sector joint ventures are being used to de-risk delivery across large brownfield and regeneration schemes. At The Fosseway, the structure involves three distinct layers: a Vistry–Goram Homes joint venture for the main housing, Abri as the affordable housing partner, and Anchor delivering the extra care component. At Locking Parklands, Homes England's role as the site's regeneration lead underpins both the residential and commercial phases of delivery.

Sources

Vistry Group — Press Release: Vistry partners with Abri to deliver 314 affordable homes across three developments in the South West