The Square, Ruardean, GL17

Ruardean is a popular village located in West Gloucestershire and within the Forest of Dean District. The village enjoys strong connectivity to the nearby town of Cinderford and easy accessibility to the Wye Valley B4234 Road which provides a connection to the A40 connecting the Wye Valley towns of Ross-on-Wye & Monmouth. The village has a good range of local facilities & amenities including Primary School, Village Shop, Doctors Surgery, Village Hall and a range of other local businesses. The freehold of the site is available For Sale. Powells are instructed to invite offers for the site from developers on a conditional ‘Subject to Planning’ basis with the successful developer pursuing residential planning consent upon the site prior to completion.

Site Information
Sale Plan: The Sale Plan shows the maximum freehold area outlined in Red available to a developer for any planning application area for any Phase 1 scheme, with built development anticipated to be sited on the land adjacent to Warfield Farm. The freehold area for acquisition to be discussed and agreed, subject to contract, with the developer. This will not include any existing dwellings. The existing farm buildings and yard can be retained and developed separately if mutually agreed, with access via the principal development site. The area shown hatched in Orange on the Sale Plan is anticipated to support mandatory development elements, such as biodiversity, green infrastructure / landscaping and green open space provision all required as part of any planning application. The strategic access corridor (hatched Purple for indicative purposes only) from Cats Hill will cross through this land. The area hatched in Teal on the Sale Plan shows part of the vendors retained land available for future phases of development.

Planning Status / Development Opportunity: The land is located within the planning jurisdiction of Forest of Dean District Council. The authority currently has a significant housing supply shortfall below a mandatory 5-year housing supply, with recent planning appeals determining around a 1.9 year Housing Land Supply based on the new National Planning Policy Framework standard methodology housing calculations. There is no Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) in place for Ruardean. There is a significant unmet affordable housing need in FoDDC authority district. Gloucestershire Rural Housing Enabler has also identified from a Parish Housing Needs Survey that there is an unmet affordable housing need at the settlement of Ruardean. Further information on this is available from Gloucestershire Rural Community Council website;

The site area marketed is to also permit all ancillary development elements of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) provision, green infrastructure, green open space & amenity areas, including all surface water drainage (SuD’s) provision to be included in the freehold development site area.

Development Site Access: Technical work commissioned with Rappor, based on topographical survey data, has advised that a highways compliant vehicular development site access can be developed from Cats Hill Road. A highways arrangement drawing prepared by Rappor is available from Powells. The successful developer will assess the optimum highways access arrangement from Cats Hill, via a cost viability assessment which can also achieve being fully highway compliant as a development site access.

Services: All interested parties should satisfy themselves to the availability, capacity and connection costs for all services & utilities to the site and make, and rely upon, their own enquiries.

Wayleaves, Easements & Rights of Way: All interested parties should satisfy themselves in respect of any existing wayleaves, easements & rights of way and make and rely upon their own enquiries.

Development Area & Retained Rights: The Vendor will require a reservation of a full right of access to all retained land that is not sold within any Phase 1 scheme. The appropriate easement rights for all mains services / utility connections to the Vendors retained land will also be required, with future connection points installed upon the boundary of Phase 1 & retained land.

Invitation of Offers - Subject to Planning 
The Land at Warfield Farm is available For Sale by Informal Tender with conditional offers, subject to planning consent only, invited for the site. Please review the Marketing Information Letter that accompanies this Brochure for full details of the tender process; proposal information requested and tender deadline date. The proposed Conditional ‘Subject to Planning’ Contract will be for a Contract Period of 24 months with a 12-month Extension Period if awaiting determination of a planning application/appeal. A non-refundable, yet deductible, from the agreed Sale Price, Deposit of £25,000,
and contributions will be required to be paid upon the exchange of conditional subject to planning contract. A fixed contribution which is non-refundable, yet deductible from the agreed Sale Price,
of £5,000 plus VAT each (total of £10,000 plus VAT) as a contribution towards the vendors professional & legal fees specific to the contract, will also be required to be paid on exchange of contracts. An undertaking will be required for these upon Solicitors being instructed. All offers submitted will be Subject to Contract. In preparing an offer for the acquisition of the freehold site, subject to a successful planning consent, all parties are to include the information stated on the Marketing Information Letter and Tender Form.

VAT: The VAT position is to be confirmed.

Expressions of Interest: Interested parties should formally express any interest in the site by emailing confirmation to to ensure that they can be provided with any updates that arise throughout the marketing period.

Viewings: At any time during daylight hours with a copy of the brochure, pedestrian access is available from the High Street. All applicants are to exercise due care and attention when walking any part of the site. No vehicles are to be taken onto the land.

Agent Contact: For further information please contact David Powell.