Following planning approval from Chelmsford City Council in August this year, construction is now underway at the Cala development which will comprise of 72 one and two bedroom apartments and 73 three, four and five-bedroom houses. Of these properties, over 25% will be provided as much-needed affordable units for rental and shared equity tenures to meet local housing need.
Located on the north-eastern edge of Chelmsford, the new scheme forms part of the wider Beaulieu masterplan, which is part of the Government’s Garden Communities programme. Once complete, Beaulieu will transform the land which is located in the picturesque parkland of King Henry VIII’s former Tudor palace, creating another vibrant new community with an attractive landscape.
The 604 acre site will include 3,600 homes in total, as well as a new train station due to open in 2025, two schools - including Beaulieu Park School, Essex’s first ‘All-Through School’ which opened its doors in 2018 – and 176 acres of green open spaces.
Serving as the 'heart' of the community is the Beaulieu Square neighbourhood centre, which offers local shops, a dentist, vets, community centre, day nursery and an education centre.
Glenn Copper, Sales and Marketing Director at Cala Homes North Home Counties, said: “We are delighted to have started construction works at the award-winning Beaulieu development in Chelmsford. There is a wonderful community being established here, and our development will be an extension on this already vibrant area – offering purchasers a stunning new destination within which to live. The development is already well-served by new schools, shops and healthcare provisions, as well as a vast amount of open space.
“Having green open spaces on our doorstep is becoming more important than ever, with many making the most of getting outdoors and enjoying nature after being confined to their homes during most of 2020.”
As part of the wider Beaulieu scheme, there will be a new railway station on the Great Eastern main line connecting home owners to the surrounding towns and cities in Essex, as well as Chelmsford train station which is just over three miles away, offering direct services to London Liverpool Street in just over half an hour. The area will also see a new relief road connecting Beaulieu to Junction 19 of the A12, and a comprehensive network of bus routes throughout the development.
For families, there is no better place than Chelmsford. It is renowned for offering a good education, with two Chelmsford schools placed in the top 20 for GCSE results UK-wide in 2016. Occupying a central and prominent position within the Beaulieu development is New Hall School, a leading Catholic independent boarding and day school. Founded in 1642 and now located within the former Palace of Beaulieu, New Hall is Chelmsford’s only independent senior school. The Beaulieu Park School opened in 2018, offering education to students aged four to 18 and there will also be a further new primary school coming to Beaulieu.
Glenn adds: “We are expecting that the development, which we have named Cala at Beaulieu will launch in May 2021. We’re anticipating a high level of demand for these stunning homes and apartments, so would encourage anyone interested to register their interest to receive regular updates about the development and be the first to hear about the properties available.”
For more information about Beaulieu, please visit www.cala.co.uk.
