Generating £2.5m for the NHS by selling a surplus site

The site had been vacant and in a poor state of repair since 2012. The site was also secluded and required a high level of costly security, and being positioned on a hillslope meant we had to substantiate a suitable drainage solution.

Wiltshire  Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) declared it surplus for health in 2014 and it attracted a great deal of local interest and opposition which proved challenging at the planning stage.

NHSPS was then tasked with providing the best value for the site and save on site running costs.

NHSPS teams carried out extensive due diligence to de-risk the site (including topography, ecology, arbocultural and a building survey), and then submitted a series of outline planning applications for residential units, after a public consultation.

After more than two years of negotiations with the Local Planning Authority, in September 2016 we secured planning permission for 58 units, including 15% affordable housing and an area of public open space. This significantly enhanced the value of the site, as it minimised the town planning risk for any prospective purchaser.

We then launched a marketing campaign with Kavanaghs and Carter Jonas, with adverts in Estates Gazette, local media and agents’ website in March 2017. The marketing attracted interest from independent medium range housebuilders with an intention to develop an attractive residential setting.