Hopfields development in south Worcester to be built by a Sanctuary and Vistry joint venture

Sanctuary, the social housing provider, and the housebuilder Vistry have set up a joint venture to deliver Hopfields, a planned community of 2,204 homes on the southern side of Worcester, Sanctuary announced on Monday.

The site lies between St Peter's and Kempsey, part of Worcester's southern urban extension, and already has outline planning consent. Under the planning obligations attached to it, at least 20% of the homes must be social or affordable. Sanctuary said there was flexibility to deliver more than that as affordable housing.

Vistry gave a fuller breakdown when it completed its contracts on the land in December 2025. About 800 homes were expected to be affordable, made up of 440 required by the planning obligations and up to 400 more as additional affordable or private rented homes. Around 1,200 were to be sold on the open market under three of Vistry's brands, Linden Homes, Countryside and Bovis Homes. Vistry said at that time that at least half of the homes would be pre-sold, in line with its partnership approach, and that many would have timber frames made by its own factory business, Vistry Works.

Alongside the housing, the plans include a local centre and a primary school, employment space, a hotel, sports and community facilities, care provision and health facilities, and new green infrastructure.

Sanctuary said Hopfields was part of its programme to build more social and affordable homes, and that working with developers such as Vistry helped it add to housing supply.

Neither organisation has disclosed the value of the joint venture or how ownership is split between them.