Birmingham developer Gallagher Estates has received planning consent for two enormous brownfield housing schemes in Bedfordshire and Scotland.
The firm is planning a 4500-house development at Elstow, south of Bedford, and a 1800-house development near Bathgate, west of Edinburgh. The first will be carried our with power company Innogy; the second with Persimmon Homes.

Elstow garden village is planned for a 281 ha site that formerly housed a Second World War munitions factory. It will include shops, schools and leisure facilities. The project team includes masterplanner Tibbalds TM2, consulting engineer WSP and consultant Arup. The developer said it expected construction work to start next year.

Gallagher said it had worked with the Cranfield University to create a sustainability guide for the scheme. Gallagher chairman Tony Gallagher said: "Elstow accords to the government's agenda on every count. It's a brownfield site ideal for development."

The Scottish scheme in Wester Inch, near Bathgate, will be on a former British Leyland assembly plant and include a school and shops.

It has been masterplanned by town planner David Lock Associates. Gallagher said it planned a circular bus route to link Wester Inch to the centre of Bathgate.

  • Architect Ryder has outlined plans for a £15m residential scheme in Newcastle upon Tyne for developer Metier Properties. The scheme will include 140 flats in the East Quayside district.