English Partnerships has selected Taylor Woodrow to build a £200m 600-unit mixed-use development in north-west England.

The company, which is in the throes of a merger with George Wimpey, has secured the 60ha Whittingham Hospital near Preston, Lancashire, one of the largest sites in English Partnership’s (EP) hospitals portfolio.

The site has outline consent from the nineties for 584 homes, 50 of which are affordable, 18,500m2 of industrial and office space and a primary school.

The Barton Willmore Planning Partnership is drawing up a fresh masterplan for the site and Manchester consultancy HOW Planning is handling the planning application.

Taylor Woodrow now has one of the largest sites in EP’s portfolio

The bulk of the buildings, which are derelict, will be demolished to make way for the scheme. EP says the material generated during the demolition will be reused.

The news of Taywood’s success at Whittingham follows last week’s consent for an urban village in Northwich, Cheshire (4 May, page 23).

Taywood and George Wimpey have published the documents outlining the terms on which the planned merger will take place. If it succeeds the company will become the largest housebuilder in the UK.