Bargate Homes has started construction at its £13m Norton Chase development, located in the East Hampshire village of Lovedean.

The 2.61 Ha (6.45-acre) site straddles the boundary of East Hampshire and Havant, and will provide 43 homes for the area.

Located off Lovedean Lane the scheme will provide a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments and houses, set amongst 0.81Ha of public open space.

Bargate Homes has provisioned 40% of the housing on the development as affordable. The design of the spacious site is highly considerate of the local area and vernacular and includes a number of sustainable initiatives.

The scheme is expected to take approximately 22 months to complete. 180 construction jobs will be created during the course of the project.

The new development is the sister project to Norton Heights, which Bargate Homes completed during 2018.

Situated close to Lovedean village centre, the new homes will be built to a high EPC – B rating and designed to include a number of sustainable features.

Each house will have a mixed recycling point, with external and internal storage, and an improved air tightness specification to ensure the energy saving performance of the homes is above current Building Regulations. The first tranche of homes will be available for occupation before the end of 2023.

New public open spaces will also be created across the development, enhancing the character of the area, and delivering both recreational and ecological benefits.

Mark White, managing director of Bargate Homes, said: “We are excited to start construction at Norton Chase and provide much-needed new homes for Lovedean and the wider East Hampshire area. We are a community-led housebuilder, and for all our developments we consider how our customers will live now and in the future. In addition to the sustainability features, the 43 homes have been designed to be in keeping with the style of houses found locally – including beautiful flint detailing.

“Situated close to South Downs National Park, Lovedean benefits from a thriving community, which is well connected and serviced by local shops and village amenities. With nearby train links to central London, as well as other commuter locations such as Guildford and Portsmouth, it is an extremely desirable location. We are looking forward to releasing the first tranche of homes for sale, as there is already a high level of early interest.”