The Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on 15 January 2025 officially launched the UK’s largest brownfield development, Brabazon New Town being built by YTL Group.

The Brabazon New Town will be based on the former Filton Airfield on the Bristol and South Gloucestershire border.

It will include 6,500 new homes, a 15-acre urban park, a 19,000-capacity carbon-neutral arena, three schools and more.

YTL developers hope the new town, which is costing about GBP2 billion to build, will be the most sustainable in the UK.

The award-winning Brabazon Bristol development is set to transform the historic Filton Airfield site into a vibrant new “15-minute neighbourhood”. The Copenhagen-inspired project will allow people to access the essential services they need – workplaces, schools, shops, public transport, healthcare and green spaces – within a 15-minute radius of their home.

The new development boasts 6,500 high-quality sustainable homes, three new schools and a new urban park, the largest to be built in the South West for more than 50 years.

Central to plans are the YTL Arena Bristol, a 19,500-capacity state-of-the-art arena, conferencing and exhibition space designed to be the most sustainable arena in Europe. YTL Arena Bristol will be carbon-neutral from day one and will be home to world-class events and performances 365 days a year.

The development will include creative office spaces, laboratories, and advanced manufacturing facilities delivering more than 30,000 jobs for the UK economy.

At the Launching Event

Speaking in London during the launch event on Wednesday, PM Anwar bin Ibrahim said a new trade deal between the UK and Malaysia represents a “golden opportunity”.

Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Anwar Bin Ibrahim said: “As Chair of ASEAN, this year, Malaysia is uniquely positioned to promote regional economic integration, using YTL’s success as a shining example of ASEAN-UK collaboration. Investments by Malaysian businesses into the UK are not just about economic growth, they reflect our commitment to nurturing partnerships that drive innovation, foster prosperity, and contribute to a better world for all.”

The UK formally joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in December 2024, enabling closer working between YTL in the UK and Malaysia.

UK Prime Minster Sir Keir Starmer met his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Downing Street for trade talks as part of the Government’s scramble for investment and economic growth.

The meeting came as Malaysian firm YTL announced plans for £4 billion of investment in the UK over five years, including £2 billion for its arena and housing development north of Bristol.

The remaining £2 billion will be invested in YTL’s UK businesses over the next five years, the UK Government said.

In a readout of the talks, a Number 10 spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister began by saying he was delighted to have the opportunity to host Prime Minister Anwar at No 10, and the leaders agreed that now was an opportune moment to strengthen the relationship between the UK and Malaysia.

“They discussed closer co-operation and to upgrade the relationship to a strategic partnership across trade and investment, education, clean energy and defense.

“Both agreed on their shared ambition for economic growth, and the Prime Minister reiterated that the UK is a great place to do business.

“He welcomed the £4 billion investment by YTL businesses announced today by Prime Minister Anwar which will deliver for people in Bristol, creating 30,000 jobs and building new homes on brownfield sites.

“They underscored their shared commitment to net zero ambitions and noted that clean energy will support future growth in both our countries.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the investment “will boost growth, create good jobs and shows the UK is open for business”.

“We will continue to go further and faster to kickstart growth to make all parts of the country better off,” she said.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “This investment is incredible news for the UK and will create a generational transformation for North Bristol, delivering infrastructure, new schools and creating thousands of new homes and jobs in the region.

“By creating the right conditions and giving investors the confidence they need to make big investments in Britain, our plan for change is delivering economic growth and showing the power of investment to transform our cities, and give working people the security they deserve.”

Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson OBE said: “Increasing investment is a mission at the heart of this government and will help us deliver long-term, stable growth that supports skilled jobs and raises living standards across the country.

Baroness Gustafsson OBE was at the launch event and said "YTL's commitment is a huge vote of confidence in the UK".

"Seeing global investors put billions in the UK economy shows we are an investment destination of choice," she said.

Executive Chairman of YTL Group, Tan Sri Dato’ Sir Francis Yeoh Sock Ping said: “Our UK businesses are committing to invest £4bn into the country over the next five years. Brabazon is a rare opportunity to re-imagine how best to live, work and play in today’s world whilst ensuring that sustainability is built into the development from conceptualisation. Our expertise in our 70 years as a builder of Malaysia’s infrastructure will inform our strategies and methodologies in building this ambitious project. The strengthened trade agreements and cooperation between Malaysia and the UK will undoubtedly catalyse new partnerships with our supply chains and spur greater investments between the two countries.”

He said the company's takeover of Wessex Water in 2002 is a "shining example" of the benefits of collaboration.

About 300 homes have already been built at the Brabazon site, with a further 240 under construction.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim signing a plaque to commemorate the launch of YTL UK's Brabazon New Town in Bristol. Witnessing the occasion are Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul, UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds, YTL Group Executive Chairman Tan Sri (Sir) Francis Yeoh, and YTL Power International Managing Director Datuk Yeoh Seok Hong

YTL Press Release

YTL issued a press release after the launch of Brabazon with the following editor’s notes:

YTL Developments is an award-winning land and property development company that has a track record of delivering high-quality, sustainable communities. YTL has worked with some of the best masterplan designers and architects in sustainable living in the world, such as Feilden Clegg Bradley, Allies and Morrison, JRDV and Jan Gehl to help deliver the project.

In 2016, YTL Power acquired the disused Filton Airfield and associated Brabazon Hangars just north of Bristol. This 380-acre site is the largest brownfield development site in the Southwest and one of the largest in the whole of the UK. YTL is developing the site into a new town called Brabazon, and the iconic hangars will be turned into a major state-of-the-art arena, conferencing, and entertainment complex.

In 2023, YTL was honoured with the prestigious UK-Malaysia Business of the Year Award at the British-Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (BMCC) Business Excellence Awards. This pinnacle achievement highlights YTL’s outstanding performance and innovation, solidifying its position as one of the most successful Malaysian companies operating in the UK.

The BMCC Business Excellence Awards celebrate the best of UK and Malaysian companies, recognizing those that demonstrate exceptional achievements and contributions. This accolade not only underscores YTL’s exemplary capabilities but also enhances Malaysia’s reputation and standing within the UK as a partner of innovation and excellence.

In November 2024, YTL obtained planning approval to deliver 6,500 homes, three schools, three hotels, 2,000 student beds, a retirement village, a new railway station and 60 acres of commercial development focused on high tech, aerospace and university facilities. The entertainment complex will include a 19,500-capacity carbon neutral arena, conferencing and exhibition space and a futuristic family entertainment attraction. Discussions are underway with the West of England Mayoral Authority to significantly increase the density of developments to help meet the new UK government’s housing targets and deliver the first of its proposed new towns.

There are currently 300 homes already occupied on the site, with a further 240 under construction. The development has already won a number of prestigious awards for design, build and sustainability. The whole development, with a projected GDV of c.£6 bn, is being planned and delivered by YTL UK Group companies.

Brabazon Phase 1, The Hangar District, won the prestigious “Large Housing Development” award at the Brick Awards, hosted by the Brick Development Association (BDA).

Revised Master Plan for Brabazon

In 2016, YTL Power acquired the disused Filton Airfield and associated Brabazon Hangars just north of Bristol. This 380-acre site is the largest brownfield development site in the South West and one of the largest in the whole of the UK.

In late February 2024, South Gloucestershire Council has granted permission for revised plans from YTL Developments to redevelop the former Filton Airfield in Bristol. Updated plans to build 6,500 new homes, including the west of England's largest urban park, have been unanimously approved.

As the birthplace of Concorde and supersonic travel, home to over 100 years of aviation history, the former Filton Airfield is known worldwide for a community that changed the world. Under the revised plans, Brabazon will transform the largest area of brownfield land in the South West into a new urban destination that lives up to that legacy.

Crucially, the plans are based on a flexible framework so that development is phased alongside improved transport links.

The vision for Brabazon – developed by world-renowned architects and planners including  JRDV Urban International (US), alongside Bath-based Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (UK), SWA Group (US), Grant Associates (UK) and YTL Construction Design Group (Mal) – also includes up to 3 million square feet of commercial space: enough to support 30,000 jobs and is forecast to create over £5billion of added economic value for the local area.

The plans also include new schools, a research campus, office spaces, laboratories, cafes and restaurants. Developers won’t be allowed to build some of the new homes until they can prove public transport has been improved, to prevent clogging up the nearby road network with cars.

A 15-acre park will include habitats for wildlife, the developer said.

A spokesperson from YTL Developments said the regeneration is "a once-in-a-generation opportunity".

Planning permission to transform the site into a new urban community - thought to be one of the largest brownfield sites in the UK - was granted by the council in 2018.

Originally the application included 2,500 homes, but that has now increased.

The area will be known as Brabazon and will also be home to Bristol's long-awaited indoor arena, as well as a new train station.

The urban park will also support the environment, offering new habitats for wildlife.

Seb Loyn, Planning & Development Director for YTL Developments, said: "If we are to tackle the climate crisis, we need to build more sustainable homes in the right places.

"Brabazon is on brownfield land along existing public transport corridors. Maximising its potential will ease pressure on the green belt."

Brabazon will also be a hub for culture, creativity and entertainment. Residents and visitors will be able to wander around independent stores, discover new cafes and restaurants or relax in over 86 acres of public space, from leafy squares to Brabazon Park: the largest new public park in the South West for 50 years. And at its heart will be the supersonic new YTL Arena Bristol, with a capacity of over 17,000.

Finally, Brabazon will be connected to Bristol city centre and beyond with over £100m already being invested into the local transport network. A new rail station will connect the neighbourhood to Bristol Temple Meads in less than 15 minutes. Three MetroBus stops will link Brabazon with Bristol Parkway mainline train terminus, with the shops and restaurants at the South West’s largest retail centre Cribbs Causeway, and with the University of the West of England. And 3 kilometres of new segregated walking routes and cycle paths will be created.

The park will feature a heritage trail, connecting the Brabazon Hangars with Aerospace Bristol Museum.

A floating boardwalk around the lake, independent cafes, restaurants and outdoor sports facilities are also in the plans.

Councillor Chris Willmore said: "This is a historic place-shaping decision by the council for a major sustainable community with the necessary infrastructure to create a truly outstanding place.

"The plans for Brabazon will create a major new community for South Gloucestershire and a new quarter for the wider Bristol area."

Visitors will be able to wander along the floating boardwalk around the lake (Image: YTL Developments)

Councillors on the strategic sites delivery committee at South Gloucestershire Council voted to approve planning permission today (Thursday, February 29, 2024). Developers previously had permission to build 2,675 homes, but the new Brabazon development will now be much larger and greener.

Speaking to the committee, Simon Fitton, technical planning director at YTL, said: “Today hopefully represents a huge milestone in the evolution of Brabazon. This consent will allow for review to ensure the transport strategy is working, and the right amount of education, community and health facilities are available and meeting everyone’s needs.

“Should the public transport improvements we anticipate not happen, we have committed to pause if needs be and agree to further mitigation to allow the development to continue. Few other developers are willing to make such promises, but we see this as a pragmatic way to work in partnership with the council and National Highways.

“There’s probably no other site outside of London that can minimise the need to travel by car, plan around new public transport and create a thriving walking and cycling neighbourhood. We’ll deliver over 1,700 affordable homes, and the commercial floorspace would also triple with jobs rising to 30,000. And we’ll deliver more public open space than under the current permission.”

Construction is already taking place on the first phase of homes, as well as the main spine road through the area. Over 150 homes have already been finished and are occupied by March 2024.

As well as new housing, the plans include three hotels, 600 extra care units, 270,000 square metres of offices, 55,000 square metres for industrial uses, 25,000 square metres of town centre uses, student accommodation, two primary schools, one high school, community buildings, health and sports provision. An arena and new train station are also planned on adjacent sites.

Councillor Sanjay Shambhu, representing Charlton and Cribbs, said: “The former Filton Airfield site is brownfield and perfectly suited for a development of this size and scope. This development will bring significant benefits to my ward and to the wider district with a boost to economic activity and enhanced public services. There’s a great deal of support for this locally.”

The development will be split into phases, to ensure there’s not an adverse impact on the local road network. This means YTL won’t be allowed to build all of the homes planned, unless critical upgrades to buses and trains take place. As part of the development, several new bike lanes and bus routes are planned, and there will be few car parking spaces for residents.

Cllr Adrian Rush said: “Transport is the one thing that worries me more than anything else. That’s because we’ve completely failed to change modal transport ever in South Gloucestershire.

“We’re looking here to change people’s attitudes away from cars and into buses and trains, where it’s never happened before in this county that we’ve been able to do this. I’m worried it’s not going to happen, and I’m hopeful that if we get to the stage where they review it and it’s not working quite as well as they’d thought, we can go back and start thinking again.”

'It will transform the entire area'

Another concern was service charges which future residents will have to pay. These will go towards a management company responsible for running the public open spaces and parks. Some councillors suggested these should be handed over to the local parish councils instead.

Speaking after the meeting, Seb Loyn, planning and development director for YTL Developments, said: “The approval of the new masterplan for Brabazon is a once in a generation opportunity. It will transform not just north Bristol and South Gloucestershire, but the entire West of England.

“The region desperately needs more homes. Brabazon will deliver 6,500, with over 1,700 being affordable. Local businesses need space to grow and expand: Brabazon will provide over 3 million square feet of commercial space. That means that the local cluster of world-leading engineering, aerospace and technology firms can provide new opportunities for young talent.

“But if we are to tackle the climate crisis, we need to build more sustainable homes in the right places. Brabazon is on brownfield land along existing public transport corridors. Maximising its potential will ease pressure on the greenbelt. This decision paves the way for YTL Developments to build the new homes, offices, schools and community facilities we all need, and to do so in a way that is environmentally and economically sustainable.”

Councillor Chris Willmore, cabinet member for planning, added: “This is a historic place-shaping decision by the council for a major sustainable community with the necessary infrastructure to create a truly outstanding place. The plans for Brabazon will create a major new community for South Gloucestershire and a new quarter for the wider Bristol area, built on brownfield land.

“We have been working positively with YTL Developments and National Highways to ensure the right infrastructure will be in place. As well as delivering 6,500 high quality homes, 1,724 of these will be affordable homes for social rent and shared ownership, and there will be office and industrial floor space, which in conjunction with the construction work has the potential to create over 30,000 jobs.

“The development will help reduce reliance on car travel with Metrobus and local buses serving the area along with the train station which already has secured planning permission. A community hub and health care facility will also be provided, along with parks, lakes and open spaces, with over 3,500 trees planted on the site.”

Current UK House price trend

As of November 2024, house prices across the UK property market show annual growth of 2.9%, bringing the national average to £291,828, according to the Office for National Statistics.

According to Plum Plot, the following data reflects the latest property trends in key UK cities:

• London: Prices in the capital average £525,586, with a slight annual decline of 0.5%. Despite slower growth, London remains a cornerstone for residential property investment, thanks to robust rental demand and its global appeal.

• Manchester: With an average price of £248,000, Manchester offers affordable entry points and high rental yields. This makes it a top location for property investment in the UK, particularly as its price remains 16.2% lower than the national average.

• Liverpool: Liverpool’s average property price of £180,000 highlights its affordability and growth potential. The city’s Knowledge Quarter and ongoing regeneration projects make it a hotspot for residential property investment.

• Birmingham: As the UK’s second-largest city, Birmingham’s average price of £250,000 reflects steady growth. With transformative infrastructure projects like HS2, Birmingham is a leading location for investors and homeowners in the UK.

Brabazon is near Bristol which is 191km west of London. It takes 1 hour 37 minutes by train and 2.5 hours by car to reach Bristol from London.

The average property price in Bristol city is £378k, the median price is £335k. The average price increased by £7.0k (2%) over the last twelve months. The price of an established property is £379k. The price of a newly built property is £374k. There were 5.7k property sales and sales dropped by 23.6% (-1.9k transactions). Most properties were sold in the £300k-£400k price range with 1696 (29.7%) properties sold, followed by £250k-£300k price range with 981 (17.2%) properties sold.

Long-term Growth Potential to YTL and YTL Power in the UK

I have earlier estimated a total GDV of GBP1.8 billion for the Brabazon property project. That was based on 6,500 homes at an averaged price of GBP275,000, without counting in the development value for the commercial space.

Total commercial space will be close to 4 million sf (three hotels, 600 extra care units, 270,000 square metres of offices, 55,000 square metres for industrial uses, 25,000 square metres of town centre uses and 2,000 rooms of student accommodation)

Now with the improved connectivity between Brabazon and Bristol city (just a 15 min train ride away), the average home prices in Brabazon will be closer to GBP300,000 for new launches from YTL. The planned 4 million sf of commercial space (retails units, offices and shops) may have GDV of above GBP2.0b, so the total GDV may exceed GBP5.0 billion, inline with a project of that size and the planned investment costs of GBP2 billion for infrastructure.

With the UK having signed the CPTPP, building materials and services imported from Malaysia into the UK will be tariff free. And with the over 70 years of experience as a builder, YTL Group will be able to deliver quality homes at a bargain price to potential UK home owners in Brabazon.

More importantly, YTL Group is spending billions in the Brabazon project as a long-term investment. They are not just there to build and sell houses, take profits and go away. Rather YTL will be in Brabazon for decades to come, as they will be retaining the bulk of the commercial space for rental income. This means that YTL will be obliged to ensure a sustainable development in the new town, promoting local businesses and creating jobs for the community, by maintaining good infrastructure and connectivity for as long as they are in.

Since YTL Power acquired Wessex Waters in 2002, the water company has been operating as one of the most efficient water companies in the UK. By promoting sustainable development, YTL has grown talents and added jobs in the community around Wessex while helping to create more local businesses in the supporting industries and maintaining good compliance with regulatory requirements. The regulated asset base of Wessex Waters has grown from GBP1.4 billion in 2002 to over GBP4.3 billion now.

Brabazon New Town will see similar sustainable long-term developments as in the case of Wessex Waters. It will become one of the largest communities in the UK with thousands of new homes, hundreds of thriving businesses and new offices. For a start, YTL Group will have its developer offices and construction outfits built in Brabazon town itself, with hundreds more from supporting businesses and business partners.

As YTL Group chairman Tan Sri Francis Yeoh said, “Brabazon is a rare opportunity to re-imagine how best to live, work and play in today’s world whilst ensuring that sustainability is built into the development from conceptualisation.”

The new town will grow in time together with the investments made by YTL Group in the UK. YTL Power will see long-term recurring rental income from Brabazon (potentially as big as earnings contribution from Wessex Waters) as it invests more to sustain the developments. YTL Construction will see recurring construction jobs coming out from the Brabazon property and infrastructure development in the next 5-7 years, besides billions of pounds of potential construction work to be tendered out from the water companies in the UK. Potential capex programmes may total GBP100 billion from the 10 water companies in the UK in the next decade, with Wessex alone planning GBP4.3 billion in 2025-2030.

The launch of Brabazon New Town is a milestone for YTL Group, signifying another phase of long-term investment in the UK, after its initial investment in Wessex Waters two decades ago. Brabazon will be a place to live and to work in a thriving community for generations to come.