A new housing development in Devizes is set to deliver more than £3.5 million in funding for local services and infrastructure, as the first homes are completed at the site.

Bellway's Lock Keeper Gardens development, located on land between Coate Road and the Kennet and Avon Canal on the eastern edge of the town, will provide 200 new homes alongside public open space and a children’s play area.

Construction began in 2025, with the development due to launch its four-bedroom Scrivener showhome on Saturday 25 July.

More than half of the £3.5 million investment being provided by Bellway through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and the Section 106 planning agreement has already been paid to Wiltshire Council, with further contributions scheduled as construction progresses.

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The funding includes more than £650,000 for improvements to pedestrian and cycle connections. This will support the creation of a link between the development and the canal towpath, as well as upgrades to existing routes along Windsor Drive to improve access between the site and Devizes town centre.

Additional funding will contribute towards education, highways improvements and sports facilities.

Lock Keeper Gardens will include 140 homes for private sale, ranging from two to five-bedroom properties, alongside 60 affordable homes available for rent or shared ownership. The development will feature a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, with all properties fitted with solar photovoltaic panels to generate renewable energy.

Bellway is providing more than £1.3 million through the Section 106 agreement, including contributions towards towpath improvements, walking and cycling routes, highways works, early years education and sports and leisure facilities.

The housebuilder is also contributing £2.16 million through the Community Infrastructure Levy, with an initial payment of £649,731 already made and two further instalments due at later stages of the build programme.

The development has been designed around its canal-side location, with homes positioned along the northern boundary to create a prominent frontage overlooking the water. Internal pedestrian-friendly streets and new public spaces are intended to encourage sustainable travel and provide areas for recreation.