THE first residents have moved into a new housing development on the grounds of a former hospital site.

After decades of negotiations, plans for more than 700 homes were submitted by Bloor, Taylor Wimpey and Bellway for the Severalls Hospital site in Colchester and were given the go-ahead in March last year.

The 300-acre site in Boxted Road, which housed up to 2,000 patients in 1913 as an asylum, is set to be almost totally used for new homes.

Severalls Hospital closed in 1997 following the transfer of services to other north Essex sites over a six- year period.

Bloor Homes is in the process of building 242 homes at Kingswood Heath on the site, ranging from one and two-bedroom apartments to three and four bedroom houses.

Gazette:

Monika Hanlon, regional sales director at Bloor Homes Eastern, said: “It is always a great pleasure to welcome the first residents into their homes at a new development and we are delighted that Kingswood Heath has attracted such high interest.

“Our new homes at Kingswood Heath have completely rejuvenated a brownfield site by delivering those much-needed homes.

“In recent years Colchester has emerged as a national hub for regeneration and the housing market there is booming.

“So, we are immensely proud to be involved in the creation of a new vibrant community and attractive neighbourhood.”

Developers pledged to keep some of the hospital’s features on the derelict site, including the old psychiatric hospital, the Grade II-listed administration building and a war memorial which will be relocated.

The Severalls water tower will also be kept as will courtyard areas.

In September an organ, stained glass window and bell belonging to the chapel were saved before demolition began in the following months.

The first 250 homes on the site, by Crest Nicholson, went under construction in December 2011.

The final homes are set to be completed in 2021, on the Kingswood Heath part of the site, undertaken by Bloor Homes.