Berkeley DeVeer and Elliott Advisors buy Avant Homes Group

Property developer Berkeley DeVeer and Elliott Advisors (UK) have bought Avant Homes Group for an undisclosed fee. 

COO Mark Mitchell will become CEO on May 1, replacing Colin Lewis, who will become Non Executive Deputy Chairman. Jeff Fairburn, currently CEO of Berkeley DeVeer and former Persimmon boss, will become Chairman of Avant Homes. 

Avant Homes currently has 60 live developments being delivered across five regions in the Midlands, Yorkshire, North East England and Scotland. It currently delivers around 2,000 homes each year, has a turnover of circa £500m and employs around 780 people.  

Avant Homes Yorkshire is set to deliver 140 homes at a new £32m development in Castleford, West Yorkshire after receiving planning approval from Wakefield Council (pictured). 

Groundworks at Elliott Place are due to start this month with the showhomes to follow this summer and first homes are expected to be ready for occupation in October, according to a statement. 

The 9.88-acre land, located just off Castleford’s Flass Lane, is the final phase of residential development on site, which Avant Homes acquired from Harworth Estates in December 2020.

The new homes will form part Harworth Estates’ and Wakefield Council’s plans to deliver 560 new homes alongside a restaurant and employment space in the area. The build is estimated to take approximately two years and is set to create 120 jobs.

Elliott Place will feature a mixture of two, three and four-bedroom properties across 10 of Avant Homes’ signature house types. The collection of properties will range from a two-bedroom terraced home to a four-bedroom two and a half-storey detached house.

Located south west of Castleford town centre, Elliott Place is surrounded by local amenities, transport links, schools and attractions including Xscape Yorkshire and Junction 32 Shopping Outlet. The M62 is also within close proximity to the development, giving a wide range of buyers easy access to Leeds and Pontefract.

Avant Homes Yorkshire managing director, Chris Coley, said: “Castleford has a great demand for high-quality, new-build housing, so we’re very pleased to have been granted planning permission from Wakefield Council to deliver 140 homes.

“This developed area of Castleford has become a thriving residential, leisure and commercial location in West Yorkshire, and we look forward to commencing the groundworks in the coming weeks to deliver the final phase of homes as part of the council’s and Harworth Estates’ local plan.”