Homes England acquires Ripon Barracks from MoD

Image courtesy idpartnership

The homes will be surrounded by natural green spaces and complemented by a new primary school, community centre and retail area to create a vibrant new community. 

In March, the site was named as part of a trailblazer approach to development on public sector land, with a changed cross-government approach to MoD land providing a blueprint for accelerating housebuilding. A ‘tripartite taskforce’ of MoD, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and HM Treasury is working to deliver further planning changes

The plans have been made possible by extensive collaboration work between Homes England, MoD, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and the Army Basing and Infrastructure Directorate, as part of the new trailblazer approach, with teams in all organisations working cooperatively to unlock the publicly owned site for housing delivery. The sale of Ripon Barracks is part of the MoD’s Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) portfolio, which includes investing in key military infrastructure and releasing sites that are no longer needed by the MoD.  

The development will be delivered in phases, with initial work beginning at the vacant Deverell Barracks site to provide the first 150 new homes. The remaining areas – Claro Barracks, Laver Banks and the former Engineering Park – will be developed following the scheduled departure of the Royal Engineers to the nearby Marne Barracks in Catterick.

Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary for Housing Angela Rayner, said: "Unlocking underused public land like Ripon Barracks is exactly the kind of practical action people want to see, and a crucial part of tackling the housing crisis we face.  

"By working with Homes England as a key delivery partner, we’re making a real difference for people in North Yorkshire by creating vibrant communities and driving economic growth. This marks another step forward in our mission to build 1.5 million homes in our Plan for Change."

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: "We are delivering on our promise to create a new, trailblazer approach to the use of public land and unlock homeownership for working families in North Yorkshire and beyond. We are working together to speed up planning permissions and housebuilding plans. This is a truly cross-government effort to remove blockers, deliver homes and boost growth in support of our Plan for Change. 

"Alongside this, we are investing more than £7 billion this Parliament on improving accommodation for military personnel and their families, providing them the standard of living they truly deserve."

Homes England will act as the master developer for Ripon Barracks and will coordinate delivery of the essential infrastructure needed before construction can begin. This includes the planning of site-wide drainage, supporting road networks, and other key enabling works.  

Homes England and the MoD will work together to honour the site’s military past through appreciative design, landscaping, and interpretive elements within the new community. Core design principles will preserve and integrate notable historical features of the site, such as the linear parade ground layout and the original footpath network. 

Eamonn Boylan, Chief Executive of Homes England, said: "This milestone achievement is the result of government bodies uniting to drive forward this government’s mission of building 1.5 million homes this parliament. By combining MoD’s land assets with Homes England’s planning and development expertise, we’ve unlocked a site with a historic past which we’re determined will shape the development’s future."

Deputy Head of Major Disposals for DIO, Robert Smith, said: "This is an important milestone in bringing forward Ripon Barracks for redevelopment and is testament to the strong collaboration between all partners involved. Ripon Barracks has a rich history and this is an excellent example of how sites that are no longer needed by the military can be unlocked to bring real benefits to the local community."