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Buckland Group secures £54 million to complete first phase of garden village



Athena is the Group’s first large-scale Generative AI use case, directly supporting colleagues in customer service roles.

Lloyds Banking Group
Published on: 21 July 2025
3 min read
 
  • Financial package from Lloyds supports the on-going construction of new homes in phase one of the Welborne Garden Village project.
  • More than 600 energy-efficient properties to be built by three award-winning regional housebuilders.
  •  A thriving community of 6,000 homes on 1,000 acres in Hampshire is set to become the blueprint for future developments.


Funding to complete the first phase of the Welborne Garden Village project in Hampshire has been secured, paving the way for 616 new, energy-efficient homes to be built.

The £54 million financing package, provided to Buckland Group for its innovative joint venture partnerships with CG Fry, Pye Homes, and Thakeham, is a sustainable development loan in recognition of the housebuilders’ Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) plans for the development.

Construction of the homes commenced in May 2024. This financing package continues to facilitate the pathway into the next phase and to ultimately create a new community of 6,000 beautifully crafted, connected and energy efficient homes, integrated with extensive, publicly accessible green space.
 

Championing social housing

Helping people access affordable, quality and sustainable homes is an important part of our purpose of Helping Britain Prosper.

Social housing hub


Sustainable, connected community

The Buckland Group is developing the new generation sustainable garden village on 1,000 acres. From phase one, the Group is focused on creating a thriving place to live, work and play, complete with its own community infrastructure including a primary school and nursery, shops and cafés, business premises, a GP surgery, playgrounds and public transport, along with parks and open space. With heritage design and a mix of traditional styles, Welborne is recreating the architectural characteristics of Hampshire combined with the latest technology for sustainable modern living.

As Welborne grows, residents and the region will benefit from three further primary schools and a secondary school, healthcare, sports and leisure facilities and a range of retailers. A commercial district will be home to a new science and technology park with a range of office space and light industrial units for SMEs. In total, one million square feet of employment space is planned, providing local employment and driving sustainable economic prosperity.

Innovative and leading technology

The project also includes the installation of the UK’s largest water-source low carbon heating and cooling network. The stable temperatures of the ground water drawn via a local reservoir enable this innovative and leading technology to deliver heating, hot water and cooling, more sustainably and economically with 90% lower household CO₂ emissions than gas boilers and 50% less than air source heat pumps.

Athena is a monumental leap in our digital and strategic evolution, as we harness the power of generative AI to supercharge efficiency and elevate the customer experience. This technology isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a revolution. We are freeing up thousands of hours as Athena puts critical information at our colleagues’ fingertips, leaving them free to help our customers with more complex, bespoke needs. The future of work is here, and we’re leading the charge!

Mark Thistlethwayte Chairman of Buckland Group

Delivering outstanding service to our customers has always been our priority and, with Athena, our colleagues can support our customers faster and more effectively than ever before. Simplifying the process of accessing the information our customers need, in a fraction of the time, means we focus on valuable conversations with our customers, save them time and support them in the moments that matter most.

Jess Tomlinson Managing Director, Real Estate & Housing at Lloyds

 

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