Terrell Green-lights Main Square’s First Phase of Terra Nova

A massive master-planned community east of Dallas is officially moving from vision to ground work.

Last week the Terrell City Council approved the first construction plat for Terra Nova, a $3 billion, 1,500-acre development that will reshape a fast-growing stretch of Kaufman County. The Dallas Morning News reported that the decision allows Plano-based Main Square Development to begin work on the project’s initial phase, marking a key milestone after months of planning and local debate.

The first phase spans about 159 acres in northern Terrell, near Griffith Avenue and County Road 245. Plans call for 423 residential lots and 26 non-residential parcels, along with early infrastructure that will anchor the broader development. City documents also outline a future amenity center and a new roadway, Wagon Wheel Drive, which will connect into Poetry Road and help stitch the project into the surrounding area.

Terra Nova is among the largest residential projects in the Dallas-Fort Worth outskirts, with a planned buildout that includes roughly 3,600 single-family homes, 1,200 apartments and 145 acres of parks and trails. The development is expected to unfold over more than a dozen phases across two decades, according to the outlet.

Main Square has kept details close to the vest. The firm’s president, Hugo Morales, declined to comment, but the firm previously signaled it will announce its homebuilder lineup this year, according to the publication. Groundbreaking on model homes isn’t expected until early 2027, suggesting a long runway before vertical construction ramps up.

The project cleared a major hurdle late last year when it secured rezoning approval, despite pushback from residents concerned about its size and potential strain on local infrastructure.

Terrell’s population hovers at about 23,000, but Kaufman County is among the fastest growing counties of its size in the nation, nearing 200,000 residents, according to the outlet. Developers have taken notice, with nearby communities like Forney also seeing an influx of large-scale housing proposals.

Terra Nova fits squarely into that expansion wave, as builders chase cheaper land on the metro’s edge, and buyers look for relative affordability.

— Eric Weilbacher