There’s something very special about arriving in Stamford. It is, of course, a wonderful place to walk around, but that’s just the appetiser. My purpose has always been to meet anyone with an interest in the development at Stamford North, and, as the months become years, those meetings have led to some great friendships. These have become the greatest perk of my job.
So many of you have taken the time to meet, sharing your hopes and concerns around our plans. Some of you have done so representing local sports groups, schools, charities and other cornerstones of the Stamford community. Others simply took time out of the day to meet and discuss your personal angle on our work.
Whether in formal consultations or over an impromptu coffee, your insights have all been heard and communicated back to our master planners. It is never too late for us to learn more about what matters most to local people and there is still ample time to include your ideas in our plans.
You may have noticed that I have kept a significantly lower profile through much of 2025. This was a deliberate choice. After the flurry of meetings and conversations in the build-up to our outline planning application being heard a year ago, we were relieved and excited to receive a unanimous vote of support for Stamford North from the planning committee.
But the route from that support to the start of work is not straightforward. For much of the year we have been agreeing with the councils our Section 106 Agreement. Having done so successfully, the project then entered a ‘holding’ period giving people the opportunity to appeal. We felt it was right to wait for that period to end before returning to ‘business as usual’.
Fortunately, we have now reached that point, and, as I have promised so often in the past, now that our plans are becoming a reality, we want to double-down on our commitment to you, your neighbours and the people of Stamford.
That means (and I understand if this comes as something of a surprise if you have had previous relationships with other developers!) more meetings, more conversations, more listening and more sharing. And on that note:
2026 in the community
I’ll be spending more time than ever in Stamford from January. Please do message me if you’d like to catch-up.
Our focus in the first half of the year will be the Design Code for Stamford North. This document will provide a series of guidelines for the new place, from colours and materials to rooflines and streetlighting.
There’ll be lots of easy ways to get involved: guided walks, online questions about your preferences and views, informal workshops and more formal public consultation. We’ll also be meeting people who live next to the site to discuss our treatment of land on the site’s boundary.
It has always been clear how much pride Stamford people have in the town, and what a wide range of views you hold. Everyone sees the town differently, and I’m yet to have a conversation with a local person where I didn’t learn something new.
Which is why this period is so important, and why I would genuinely love to meet new people in addition to those of us who meet more regularly.
Please do sign up for regular updates, check our events page, or just drop us a line if you’d like to join in.
Early in the year we will also be launching our Community Panel. If you haven’t seen this advertised previously, I’ll be in touch in more detail after the festive season. There’s an article explaining the Panel’s purpose here.
2026 ‘on the ground’
This will be a year in which you will have to look and listen very hard to notice much taking place on the ground at Stamford North!
That’s not a reflection of our appetite for the work, simply the amount that needs to be done to ensure that when we do start digging, it is with a clear set of approved plans in place.
Our series of geo-technical surveys is already underway. This aims to understand the ground conditions and will continue in February. 2026 will also see some archaeological investigations to ensure that we are not building on something of historical significance. But most of our work will be in the background to satisfy the many conditions required to colour-in our outline plan with detail.
The list of those conditions submitted to South Kesteven Local Council is long and technical. We were required to submit a number of reports and papers to ensure that Stamford North fulfils its obligations and potential. We will also be submitting detailed plans (through ‘Reserved Matters Application’) for the infrastructure that will make Stamford North work for its first residents, from power and drainage to its initial landscaping, roads, walkways and cycle paths.
This is just the start. Rest assured that we will post regular updates about schools, sports facilities, shops, homes and health provision here.
Stamford North beyond 2026
As we speak to you and develop our plans, the timeline for the eventual completion of Stamford North will become clearer. At this stage, we estimate that:
2026 will see little physical work on site
2027 will see more activity on the site as we work on early infrastructure
2028 / 29 will see further infrastructure work and the building of the first homes
Happy New Year!
We are here to listen, discuss and keep you updated every step of the way. The festive season has arrived at a perfect moment in our project. After a relatively quiet 2025, I’m really looking forward to a busy and fulfilling 2026.
In the meantime, on behalf of everyone involved with Stamford North, I’d like to wish you a happy New Year!
Alice