Clarke Willmott Advises Vico Homes on Acquisition of Hundreds of New Homes in Yorkshire

Ever wondered how hundreds of brand-new houses suddenly pop up in your area? It’s not magic, but it does involve some very clever people making big plans. And right now, there’s some brilliant news for Yorkshire, because 347 new homes are on their way across the county. This isn't just a small project; it's a major development that's happening thanks to a team-up between social housing provider Vico Homes and national housebuilder Vistry Group. To make sure everything went smoothly, the national law firm Clarke Willmott stepped in to handle all the complicated bits, making this huge acquisition possible.

So, what’s the big deal?

Okay, let's break it down. Imagine a company wants to buy something really, really big – not just a new car, but a whole fleet of them. That's kind of what an acquisition is like in the business world. In this case, Vico Homes has bought a massive number of newly built homes from Vistry Group. We're talking about 347 properties, which is a huge boost for housing in the area.

The company making this happen, Vico Homes, is what’s known as a social housing provider. That’s a fancy way of saying their main job is to provide good quality, affordable homes for people. They used to be called Wakefield and District Housing, so you might know them by their old name. They are one of many registered providers of social housing in the country, which means they are officially recognised and regulated. The homes they bought were built by the Vistry Group, a massive national housebuilder – a PLC, in fact – that constructs new homes all over the UK. So, you have a major builder creating the homes and a dedicated housing provider buying them to manage for the community. The whole deal was publicised by Kayleigh Penny of Empica.

A look at the new housing sites

These new homes aren't all being built in one place. They're spread across three different sites in Yorkshire, bringing new life and new neighbours to several communities. It’s all about creating balanced and vibrant places for people to live.

Here’s where you’ll find the new dwellings:

• Waverley, South Yorkshire: New properties are being developed at Highfield Lane, adding to an already growing community in Waverley.

• Huddersfield, West Yorkshire: Over at Blackmoorfoot Road in Huddersfield, new life is being breathed into a very cool location – the site of the old Black Cat Fireworks Factory! It’s great to see a place with so much history becoming a home for new families.

• Mapplewell, South Yorkshire: The third location is on Wakefield Road in Mapplewell, which will also see a fantastic collection of new homes.

Building across different areas means more people in different parts of Yorkshire get access to brand-new, quality housing. It's a strategic move to ensure the benefits are felt far and wide.

What kinds of homes are we talking about?

Not everyone is in the same boat when it comes to finding a place to live. That’s why these new developments offer a mix of different types of housing, designed to help all sorts of people. It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation. The 347 new dwellings will include a variety of options.

Let's look at what's on offer:

• Affordable Rent
  Homes for people who may find private rents too expensive. Rents are set at a lower, more manageable level, helping families and individuals on tighter budgets and supporting the delivery of good-quality social housing.

• Shared Ownership
  A way to get on the property ladder by buying a share of a home (for example, 40%) and paying rent on the remaining portion. Over time, you can buy additional shares until you own the property outright — part-buying, part-renting.

• Open Market
  Homes available for anyone to buy, just like properties sold by other developers. Including these homes helps create mixed communities where people from different backgrounds live alongside one another.

This mix is really important. It ensures the new sites become proper communities, not just housing estates. Having a blend of affordable rent, shared ownership, and open market homes makes for a healthier and more diverse neighbourhood.

The team that made it happen

A deal this big doesn't just happen with a handshake. It needs a team of experts to sort out all the legal stuff and make sure everything is done correctly. That’s where the law firm Clarke Willmott comes in. They are a national company with specialist solicitors who know everything about property law. Their team acted for Vico Homes, guiding them through the entire acquisition process.

The person leading the charge was Helen Wittram, a partner at Clarke Willmott. It’s her job to oversee these massive projects and ensure they cross the finish line. Speaking about the deal, Helen Wittram said:

Vico Homes (rebranded from Wakefield and District Housing in early 2025) is a new client and aside from completion of an initial phase at Waverley in the summer, these were our first instructions to complete and show our commitment to acting for registered providers right across England.”

“The acquisitions reflect Vico Homes’s ambition and make up a substantial part of its strategy to expand its 32,000-home portfolio and deliver 1,500 more homes before 2028.

This shows that the project is part of a much bigger plan by Vico Homes to keep growing and providing more social housing. The work done by these dedicated solicitors is fundamental to creating new homes and strengthening communities across Yorkshire. As a registered provider, Vico Homes has shown its commitment to delivering quality new homes.