Partnership plans to deliver 98 new homes to meet local demand

North West housebuilder Russell Homes and regional housing association Onward Homes have teamed up to develop a site in Wincham, Cheshire.

The partnership has submitted a planning application to Cheshire West and Chester Council for 98 detached, semi-detached and mews-style houses for a 17-acre site off the B5075 New Warrington Road.

The two-, three- and four-bedroom homes will provide a mixed tenure for future residents, with 40 to be sold on the open market, 40 offered for shared ownership, and 18 for affordable rent from Onward.

The plan details 11 Russell Homes house types with a variety of internal layouts, providing a range of options for buyers. Each of the red brick properties will also have private off road parking and a garden.

The site, which already has outline permission for residential development, is accessed by an existing entrance off New Warrington Road to the West.

It is bordered by Wincham Brook to the South, private land and Heath Lane to the North, and private land to the East. Plans involve developing just 40% of the land, with the remaining 60% for use as new public open space, an attenuation zone, and the retention of existing natural habitats and open areas.

The scheme will see Russell Homes build all 98 properties for Onward in a developer/contractor role.

The partnership has been formed following the successful completion of the Cedar Gardens development in Heywood, where Onward took 16 of the 42 homes built by Russell Homes, for shared ownership and affordable rent.

Daniel Kershaw, Russell Homes director, said: “This partnership model has grown out of our existing relationship with Onward as we continue to provide high quality affordable homes on developments across the region.

“By taking this to the next level and working together from the outset, the partnerships allow us to identify key locations and provide them with a large number of market-quality properties for sale, shared ownership and affordable rent, thereby meeting existing and future local demand.

“Together with Onward we have designed this Wincham scheme to create a sustainable, well balanced neighbourhood which will provide the community with a much needed variety of comfortable family homes.

Built to our exacting standards, the different tenure properties will be indistinguishable from each other, creating a cohesive mixed community within an attractive landscaped development.”

Sandy Livingstone, executive director of property at Onward, said: “We are committed to bringing high quality new homes to communities where there is a need for homes that are affordable, with a mix of tenures providing people with genuine choices without having to compromise on quality or location.

“We believe our customers should have high quality homes in places they want to live. The development proposed meets those criteria and is sustainably located with excellent connectivity and infrastructure already in place within Wincham.

“Working directly with experienced housebuilders like Russell Homes allows us to bring forward carefully thought-out schemes quickly that offer us and our customers high quality homes and excellent value.

“Combining our ambition to provide people with homes they will love, with their knowledge and expertise of building quality properties for sale, will benefit our tenants and buyers in the long term.”

The planning application is due to be determined early in the New Year with construction potentially able to begin in the Spring of 2021.