The consortium of Persimmon Homes and Bellway Homes is proposing to build up to 1,600 homes, of which 10% are proposed to be affordable housing, on an 86 hectare site to the south west of Cramlington New Town. The scheme, which will be known as Arcot Woods, also includes a local centre with a shop, a pub and a school and 29.6 hectares will be used as public open space.
Barton Willmore said in the planning statement submitted with the proposals that the application represents the two first phases of the 'South West Sector Masterplan'. It said that the scheme "has been carefully developed, through extensive pre-application consultation and engagement with the local authority to ensure that proposed development responds to the site context, opportunities and constraints".
Barton Willmore said that the site was first allocated for housing development 1999 and this was carried forward to the Blyth Valley Core Strategy in 2007. In 2008 the Council identified the South West Sector as part of the 'Growth Point Programme of Development' for South East Northumberland.