The particulars were read out in the London auction room and bidding began. One man more than anyone else in the room wanted “Hubborn Farm”.
John Burry, a man in his late 40s, had been a tenant farmer there for 14 years. With the passing of owner Admiral Sir Ashton Gore Curzon Howe (whose elder sister was the great-great grandmother of Diana, Princess of Wales) came his chance to become a landowner. He took it and the Hoburne story was born.
Hoburne Development was established in 1958, 46 years after the Hoburne Group began with three caravan parks. Based in Christchurch, the company was originally formed to build small developments and to manage and maintain our holiday parks. Over time, the business grew steadily.
In 1977, Hoburne Development successfully master planned the residential development of the remaining 99.53 acres of Hoburne Farm. This included not only new homes, but also shops and land for educational use, helping to create a thriving local community.
Much of this development surrounds Hoburne Park — our original holiday park and the site of our Head Office — placing us at the heart of the community we helped to build. With the final 104 homes due to be built over the coming years, the chapter will close on the Hoburne Farm story.
In addition to this legacy project, we have acquired, constructed, and sold housing and apartments throughout Christchurch and the wider Dorset area. We have also secured our flagship development at the former Lyndhurst Park Hotel in the New Forest. This project has restored a key gateway into the New Forest, transforming a derelict site into a landmark development.
Between 1977 and current day, the Group has added to our portfolio; three golf courses; Bulbury Woods and Crane Valley in Dorset, and Hurtmore in Surrey. Two holiday parks in Cornwall, two in Cotswolds, one in Somerset and another in Devon, totalling to nine parks. We also own commercial buildings in Ringwood and Christchurch and a small residential portfolio, all of which add to our financial strength and versatility as a family owned and run business. Quite some legacy from John Burry!
This legacy forms the foundation for the future — one we hope to build alongside valued partners.
About working with Hoburne
We are in this together, the land is yours until we buy the site and the planning is our responsibility. As part of our service to you as landowner, we will endeavour to keep you updated and give you the opportunity to attend key meetings with stakeholders, such as planning and highway consultants, parish meetings and public consultations.
We do understand that you may want to keep at an arm’s length from these consultations/meetings and discussions, so to ensure you are fully informed throughout the promotion and planning process, we provide half yearly updates.
These updates are designed to:
1. Update you on the planning strategy and any changes.
2. Explain where we are with regards to expenditure.
3. To provide you with copies of reports, surveys and drawings for your records.
4. To outline the focus on the promotion or planning for the next six months and to confirm how we have progressed from the past six months targets, all of which will be informed by the planning strategy.
5. To provide an annual projection of what the likely receipt would be for you as landowners if we were to achieve planning based on the progress to date to allow you to understand how the effects of the promotion and planning process are impacting your end receipt.
Newtown House
Lyndhurst Park
Design team
At Hoburne Development, we take pride in paying close attention to the details that matter — not only to us, but to you as the landowner.
We understand that certain requirements may arise from legal, planning, or moral obligations. As a family-owned and operated business, we believe in open and genuine collaboration. That means listening carefully to your concerns, aspirations, and the unique history of your land, and ensuring these are meaningfully reflected in our design process.
This ethos is shared by our dedicated design team, who work tirelessly to deliver projects that balance legacy, affordability, and architectural creativity. Whether we are creating vibrant communities with accessible homes or showcasing innovative design, we are committed to meeting core design principles and planning policies without compromise.
The consultants selected to help realise the full potential of your site will be:
Planning Consultants
Chapman Lilly Planning
Architect
Architecture PLB
Highways Consultants
i-Transport
Ecologists
With regards to Walford Farm, we have taken into consideration key constraints to the site highlighted from our due diligence.
These constraints include:
1. Heritage asset implications
2. Archaeological potential
3. Flood risk – surface water/ fluvial
4. Transport/Highways
5. Greenbelt Impact
To assist in ensuring the optimal success of promoting Walford Farm into the new Dorset Council Local Plan and acquiring a planning permission for residential development, our team consists of:
Chapman Lily Planning
Chapman Lilly is a local Dorset-based planning consultancy, based in Wareham and comprising a mix of ex-local authority planning officers and planning consultants. Over the years, they have created an enviable reputation in acquiring planning or sites, small and large, across the county and beyond.
Our Planning Consultant, Giles Moir (Director), is a chartered Town Planner with over 20 years’ experience. He has significant industry knowledge, having been Enforcement Team Leader, Development Control Manager and then Development Manager for Christchurch and East Dorset Councils.
Considering the timetable set out by Dorset Council for targeting to adopt the new local plan by Q4 2027. The likelihood is that this, as with all best made plans will slip, but by how long it is hard to tell until further progress has been made and ultimately until the inspector/s is reviewing the New Local Plan Document.
Therefore, whilst promoting the site, there is a plan to also investigate grey belt and even early application submission as the plan starts to gain momentum. The intention will be at a point leading up to the anticipated plan adoption, a pre application enquiry will be submitted and after comment has been received, potentially an application, though this will be led by the situation at the time and advice from our planning consultants, which will also be relayed to you through our reporting document.
Architecture PLB Practice | ArchitecturePLB
Behind every great development scheme is a strong Architectural practice. Architecture PLB are a Winchester-based practice that has operated in public and private sector design and planning for over 50 years. They have conducted a range of projects from Schools & Healthcare, mixed-use
schemes, housing association sites, residential housing schemes and Passivhaus.
Our Architect: Jemma Paris is a longstanding Associate, having joined the practice some 15 years ago. She is a strong advocate for placemaking, community engagement and great sustainable design. Having worked on substantial schemes for developers, Housing Associations, and the education sector, from master planning to site commencement, Jemma has the experience required for Walford Farm.
Click here to view Hoburne’s ArchitecturePLB Capability Statement.
i-Transport
Development is nothing without access. Our appointed Highways Consultants are a Winchester-based highways specialist. Established in 2005, i-Transport have built a strong reputation in the industry as a highways consultancy specialist. Now with offices in Basingstoke, Manchester, London, Leeds and Solent, they have a wealth of knowledge and expertise to draw upon and contacts within many highways’ authorities.
Our Highways specialist, Stephen Moody, Associate Partner
Our Highways specialist, Stephen Moody, Associate Partner is a highly experienced Civil Engineer with a track record of projects across the country, representing local authorities and private landowners on projects of all sizes including consultation at planning appeals and public consultations.
Although there will be more consultancies joining the design team if we are successful in working with you on this promotion and planning venture, the three above are the key team of consultants to ensure that our proposal is well thought and achievable for you to consider in an informed way.
Planning strategy
This area is identified in Dorset Council’s Regulation 18 consultation as being an opportunity area for future residential development optioned alongside the area to the east (LA/COLE/018) – as such any development plans should demonstrate that the site doesn’t prejudice the development of adjoining land parcels.
Figure 1: Site LA/COLE/18 shown in the context of surrounding opportunity sites (identified in the Council’s regulation 18 document).
The Council have undertaken an initial assessment of the parcel, identifying a potential capacity of 82 units.
Click here to view a copy of the assessment.
Initial appraisal briefing
With regard to high-level constraints, there are areas of surface water flooding due to the water way in the woodland adjacent to the northern boundary.
In additions, that sections of the northern area (larger than the area highlighted for surface water flooding) are susceptible to groundwater emergence; there is therefore the possibility that the quantum of development that the site can eventually deliver may be subject to a suitable drainage strategy.
Figure 2: Extract from the Environment Agency’s Surface Water flooding map.
Figure 3: Extract from the Council’s ground water emergence mapping
There are no heritage assets in close proximity, the green belt assessment would allow for the site to qualify as Grey Belt (Parcel 027 of the Council’s review), and the woodland area is not protected by any major designations.
I have provided below an extract from the Council’s Green Belt Review for Parcel 027.
Initial appraisal briefing
Initial appraisal briefing
In conclusion I would suggest that there is a robust case for the site to continue to be promoted through the Dorset Local Plan review, the next key date for engagement is August 2026 when the Council will publish their regulation 19 document which identifies their preferred sites for development.
Site proposal
Walford Farm & Longhow (West) is a circa 4.6ha site adjacent Cranborne Road exiting Wimborne towards Salisbury. The land is predominantly flat with some undulation. Boundaries are defined with a mix of native trees, hedgerows, fencing and a watercourse to the northern most boundary.
Identified within the Dorset Councils Options document of August 2025, we understand there has been no further representation to the proposal of 82 dwellings made within said document.
Through review of the current policies to hand, and the options document extract from pages 486, 512 and 513, we have considered the identified constraints and opportunities and determined through advice noted within the planning strategy and our architect’s layout below that a scheme of 82 units is highly likely to be achievable on the site.
We have further considered the sites suitability for a greater quantum of housing and believe this could be possible subject to negotiations and discussions through the promotion of the site into the Dorset Local Plan. The current layout produces a conservative Sqft/acre coverage of 11,057 Sqft/acre, meaning the mix and density could be further enhanced during a promotion into the local plan.
The layout provides a mix of 82 dwellings with 35% affordable housing, utilising the nationally described space standards for the affordable housing element and situating a mixture of terraced, semi detached and detached 1 & 2 storey homes over the site, ensuring suitable distances are maintained with those existing properties on the eastern boundary.
Access is within the same location as the existing access where the barns are situated. The junction visibility requirement for a national speed limit road in this location (60mph) is 215m (based on DMRB CD109). This may mean that the visibility splay would cross the Furzehill/ B3078 junction.
Though dependant on highways pre-application advice there may be the requirement to either:
1. Reposition the access closer to the 30mph zone.
2. Extend the 30mph zone under a TRO (Traffic Regulation Order).
3. Agreeing a departure from regulation guidance with the Highways Authority.
The proposed scheme would have connectivity to the wider public footways and the adjacent SANG area provided as part of the Bloor developments scheme. It is important to note that, the layout proposal is to demonstrate the principle of achieving the number of units suggested within the options document. This layout will progress and change through the promotion and planning stages, though core elements will likely remain unchanged, such as pedestrian connectivity, open space/attenuation features and buffers/distances between existing and proposed dwellings.
Site plan
Assumptions & allowances
Based on the scheme presented within this offer proposal, we have undertaken a detailed analysis and made certain assumptions to arrive at the proposal for your consideration.
These assumptions are as follows:
1. 82 units are achievable.
2. 35% on site affordable will be an acceptable level of housing
3. No SANG will be required.
4. Ground Conditions are suitable for standard strip/trench fill foundations.
5. Surface water will discharge into the ground or agreement will be obtained with the Environment Agency to discharge at an attenuated rate into the boundary watercourse.
6. The land between the site’s boundary and Cranborne Road is under highway ownership and is not owned by a third party that can grant access under a ransom scenario.
7. If demonstrated to be the most cost-effective solution, the landowners retained land can be utilised for mitigation of nutrients, ecological or any such items relating to obtaining a suitable allocation and planning permission.
8. There will be the requirement to extend the foul water connection to the site which is some 180 meters back towards Wimborne.
9. We expect additional utility upgrades are likely to be required, though this will only become clear once planning work has commenced.
Offer proposal
After careful consideration based on the details set out in this document, we have extensively reviewed the sales brief, planning constraints, and the anticipated financial implications for the project.
This thorough approach has allowed us to arrive at a well-balanced scheme that not only meets all relevant current planning policies and requirements but also considers, through forward design and planning to minimise additional costs wherever possible , such as retaining walls, foundation enhancements, highways and structural design. Meaning Hoburne Development have arrived at the following proposal for your consideration.
This offer is made on a conditional basis and reflects the assumptions and allowances detailed on page 12 of this document.
Hoburne Development, operating under the contracting name Burry & Knight, propose to enter an OPTION agreement with you for the land and buildings known as [Walford Farm] for a maximum period of 7 years, under the following terms: -
Angle-Right Term – initial term 5 years with an absolute longstop of 7 years from the date of entering the Option.
Angle-Right Premium – £25,000.
Angle-Right In determining the purchase price, Hoburne Development will establish the land value by being contractually able to generate profit at 23% of Gross Development Value, less deductible costs. This is instead of a discounted market value route.
Angle-Right Minimum land value – £1,000,000, linked to Knight Frank Development Land Price Index.
Angle-Right Landowner legal fees – £10,000 inc. VAT.
Angle-Right Landowners Agents fees payable to a maximum of £32,000 + VAT, with a payment of £10,000 + VAT at the point of entering the Option, with the remaining £22,000 payable upon the due completion date.
Conditions:
Completion will take place once the conditions outlined below have been fully satisfied.
1. Contract
2. Board/Investment Committee Approval.
3. Planning Permission satisfactory to Hoburne Development.
4. There are no third-party rights, access or payments required to successfully plan and implement a development.
5. Completion to take place after JR period expiry & confirmation of vacant possession.
6. Covenants referred to within the legal title do not affect this element of land.
7. The landowners retained land can be utilised if demonstrated to benefit a planning permission at a cost less than credits or other mitigations required to implement a planning permission/promotion of the site.
Financial position
Hoburne Group Ltd (15772374) is a financially stable organisation, incorporated in June 2024. The group was formed to bring Hoburne Ltd and Burry & Knight Ltd together into a single corporate group. Hoburne Group Ltd is now the overarching parent company to the subsidiary parks and development companies.
Any further financial confirmation can be provided upon request, considering Walford Farm & Longhow (West) LA/COLE/018 will be an Option acquisition and the required funds are limited to the premium, legal & agents fees and the associated planning and promotion costs, these are all sums that are readily available and budgeted for.
Solicitors
Steele Raymond LLP Richmond Point
43 Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 6LR 01202 950798 patrickdolan@steeleraymond.co.uk
Specialising in all aspects of residential development, Patrick works with both residential and commercial developers, housing associations, local authorities and also private landowners looking to maximise the development potential of their land. Patrick has over 30 years’ of experience and has worked extensively on a broad range of residential property projects, from niche private developments to large regional and national housebuilding projects. Patrick is highly regarded in property development, commercial property and social housing solicitor and is recognised by the Legal 500 as a Recommended Lawyer.
