PART of the former Blue Bird toffee factory site in Hunnington has been bought by a developer which will build 86 homes on the site.

Bellway South Midlands has purchased the land off Bromsgrove Road.

It hopes to start work on the site early next year.

Toffee making stopped at the factory in 1998 and now the site is set to enter a new era, with Bellway planning to build 86 properties where the factory buildings stood.

Bromsgrove Advertiser:

The former Blue Bird factory (Pic: Miriam Balfry)

The Bellway development is part of a wider project to build 108 homes in all.

The other 22 properties will be created by another developer through the refurbishment of two listed buildings on the former factory site.

Planning permission for the new homes is already in place and was obtained by property management company Severn Homes.

Bellway South Midlands land director Dan Forrester, said: “The redevelopment of the former Blue Bird toffee factory is an exciting opportunity to provide new housing on a self-contained brownfield site which lies within easy reach of local amenities and the surrounding countryside.

“Our new homes will complement the retained listed buildings on site and the neighbouring ‘model village’ homes to reflect the site’s heritage as a 1920s factory which also provided housing nearby for its workers.

“The fact that we completed on this purchase in just 20 working days after the acceptance of our offer shows our commitment to this scheme and highlights the dedication and hard work that has already gone into this project.

“Acquiring this land means Bellway can continue to help meet the growing demand for new housing, which is our focus in Worcestershire, as well as in neighbouring areas."

Bromsgrove Advertiser:

Pic: The layout of the development which has planning permission (Design by Ophir Architecture)

Planning permission to build 108 houses on the vacant factory site off Bromsgrove Road was granted in 2021.