BLANDFORD'S Old Brewery site will host a large housing development after the ownership changed hands.

One hundred and eighty new homes are to be built there and the developers say the plans include some affordable housing.

The site already has planning permission for the buildings and work is anticipated to be take about three years to complete.

Hall and Woodhouse announced yesterday that they have sold the Old Brewery, which is part of its brewery site at Blandford St Mary, to the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA).

The Old Brewery has been redundant since Hall and Woodhouse completed its move to the New Brewery on another part of the site.

The HCA is a Government housing delivery agency. It will work with selected partners to carry out a residential redevelopment of the Old Brewery, and plans to start redevelopment in early 2018.

HCA Area Manager, Bruce Voss, said: "We plan to create around 180 homes including affordable housing at the brownfield former Brewery site which already has planning consent. We will retain and refurbish the core Victorian brewery buildings.

"It is a fantastic setting, looking over the River Stour and water meadows, and a few minutes’ walk from Blandford town centre and will be a great place to live. We have work to do on demolition and installation of infrastructure to unlock this site, which will take most of 2018 and the new homes will come forward immediately after that."

Anthony Woodhouse, Managing Director of Hall & Woodhouse, said: "We are delighted to have sold the Old Brewery to the HCA. This is a true brownfield site, and the HCA has the skill set to be able to transform the old buildings and land into a quality residential development.

"The money from the sale will be reinvested in the growth areas of our business and will help ensure that we remain brewing in Blandford St Mary for many years to come."

The Dorset brewer has invested over £17 million in its brewing, warehousing and packaging operations and offices over the last few years.