Property round-up: Watson Homes; Cube Homes; Intelligent FS; Great Places; Cullimore Dutton Solicitors; Legat Owen
Developer and contractor, Watson Homes, has had plans approved to build 127 new homes in Clayton-Le-Moors, Lancashire. All of the homes will be made available for either affordable rent or affordable home ownership through North West housing association Onward Homes.
The development has been tailored by Watson and Onward to meet the demand for more affordable housing in the area. The existing highway improvement plans have been amended to take into consideration feedback from local residents and Lancashire County Council.
Bordering the Leeds-Liverpool canal on Whalley Road, ‘Clayton Triangle’ is a six-acre brownfield site. The new development will comprise 127 homes in total, 53 apartments and 74 houses, a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedrooms. The homes will be made available for shared ownership and rent and the scheme also includes 32 apartments for affordable rent aimed at over-55s looking to downsize.
All the homes will benefit from off-road parking and landscaped front and private rear gardens. Designed by North West-based TADW Architects, the buildings have been designed to complement the surrounding area and will be finished to a high specification.
Rob Watson, director at Watson Homes, said: “We have taken community feedback into consideration when developing plans for this site, and we’re confident we will transform the currently derelict land into high quality and much needed affordable homes.
Funding for Clayton Triangle is being delivered through Onward’s Strategic Partnership with Homes England, which was announced last year and will enable the housing association to build 3,208 affordable homes directly through the partnership.
Stephen Heverin, director of growth and regeneration at Onward, said: “Our latest development with Watson Homes will improve the housing choices on offer to local people and provide more affordable ways to put down roots in this sought after part of Lancashire.”
::
A street scene of the Cube Homes development
Cube Homes has been granted planning permission on a brownfield site for an exclusive development of nine luxury family homes in Star Lane in Lymm, one of Cheshire’s most picturesque country villages.
Tucked away in a tranquil location bordered by green fields, Hawthorn Grange will feature seven high quality four-bedroom homes and two larger five-bedroom properties.
Carefully designed to fit in with the conservation area’s historic charm, the homes will have an architecture of red heritage-style bricks and slate-style roof tiles. Every property will be dual aspect, with generous windows and good levels of daylight, ensuring a high quality lifestyle for residents.
Within easy walking distance of the independent shops, pubs, bars, restaurants and coffee houses of Lymm, buyers will be able to benefit from the traditional attractions of this sought-after village, as well as benefit from the highly rated schools nearby.
Christopher Heath, managing director for Cube Homes, said: “We are very pleased to secure planning for this exclusive development of homes in Lymm. It’ll be wonderful to see this brownfield site being transformed into a community of much needed new family homes in such a beautiful location.
“Experience suggests that Hawthorn Grange will appeal to local buyers looking for more space as well as attracting house hunters from Manchester looking to experience all the joys of life in a traditional country village, yet within a relatively short commute of the city.”
With planning now approved, Cube Homes is expecting to start work at the development on Star Lane immediately. The first residents are expected to move in by September 2023.
::
Milliners Wharf
Construction expert Intelligent FS has won a £3.5m cladding contract at Milliners Wharf in Manchester as it works to remove non-compliant insulation across the UK.
The company – which recently moved into a new office complex in Hale after tripling its workforce in a £1m upgrade – will tackle the 450 apartments without the need for residents to leave their homes during the estimated 55-week project.
The treatment requires the complete removal of the existing insulation before a full cavity fire barrier installation takes place. As well as cladding remediation, Intelligent FS will provide full cladding and fire design services.
Intelligent FS says it is unique in employing a boutique cladding team to tackle the UK cladding crisis following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, with the company willing to actively work with developers to retrospectively fit safe cladding on buildings.
In total, 486 buildings over 18 metres tall were found to contain the aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding identified by the Grenfell Inquiry as the leading cause of the 2017 tragedy.
Intelligent FS has collaborated with access specialists to design a hybrid solution to accessing the facade of Milliners Wharf for the project due to the location sitting beside a canal.
After winning the Milliners Wharf contract, Intelligent FS co-founder Rob Williams said: “Intelligent FS has worked in close collaboration with the building owners and their consultants to produce a remedial solution that meets stringent client requirements.
“This substantial award reinforces our growing influence in the cladding sector and fully justifies the internal investment programme we have undertaken for the business.”
::
Demolition work begins
Work has started on the £5.1m transformation of the Stalybridge Police Station site.
Cllrs Dave Sweeton and John Taylor from Tameside Council, joined Great Places Housing Group and Watson Homes to mark the official start of work on the redevelopment of the site into a newbuild specialist supported living scheme.
Watson Homes, which specialises in building affordable and social housing across the North West is on site now and set to complete works June 2024.
The site will be transformed into a specialist development of 24 one- and two-bedroom flats, with on-site care commissioned by the Tameside Adult Social Care Team. Once used by the Cheshire Constabulary, and then by Greater Manchester Police, Stalybridge Police station was built in 1968 and remained in use until 2005. The building will be demolished to make way for new-build homes.
Peter Lynas, development programme manager at Great Places, said: “This project will transform the currently derelict site into much needed specialist homes in the local area, where residents can remain close to friends and family in accommodation which meets their support needs.”
Cllr Sweeton, Tameside’s executive member for inclusive growth, business and employment, said: “It’s exciting to see work finally under way on what has historically been a challenging site and once complete the accommodation will be a great addition to the town centre providing new homes on previously developed land.”
Cllr Taylor, executive member for adult social care, homelessness and inclusivity, said: “Supported living accommodation helps our residents lead a healthy and fulfilling life within their own home and community. Partnerships in housing developments such as this are crucial to meet current and future needs of residents.”
Rob Watson, director at Watson Homes, said : “Stalybridge has seen substantial investment and regeneration and we are pleased to be giving this derelict site a new lease of life, and creating these homes for supported living.”
::
Cullimore Dutton team: Tim Kenney, Andrew Wright, Will Sadler, Neil Patten
Chester law firm, Cullimore Dutton, will move to a prestigious new office in September, providing 6,400 sq ft of space in Newgate Street.
The move will mark a major new chapter in the Cullimore Dutton story with the firm having been located at White Friars in Chester in one form or another since 1792.
The firm, which employs 55 staff, has agreed a 15-year lease with landlord Panacea Property Development with office space spread across three floors.
Andrew Wright, managing director of Cullimore Dutton, said: “Our new office provides us with the modern, high quality space we require to meet the needs of our clients and colleagues. The move also represents an important pillar of our own growth strategy.”
Cullimore Dutton was advised by property consultants Kenney Moore on its office move with Legat Owen acting on behalf of Panacea Property Development
::
Hannah Baker, Will Rees and Robert Ikin
Property consultancy Legat Owen has established a division selling premium homes across Chester, Cheshire, North Wales and the Wirral.
The new department is headed up by Hannah Baker with company director, Will Rees, supporting the team. Robert Ikin, co-founder of Cavendish Ikin, an experienced property professional in residential valuation and agency, has taken up a consultancy role to advise Legat Owen on the new venture.
Legat Owen’s new team, which builds on the work of its existing residential land division, has already secured its first instruction, being appointed by developer Blueoak Estates on a prime, new development in Chester, St Michel’s Park, off Lache Lane. This is a distinct development of just 21 luxury new homes situated in one of Chester’s most sought-after neighbourhoods.
The firm is also acting for the University of Chester on a number of residential disposals, and on behalf of several private clients.
Hannah Baker said: “Residential is such a significant sector of the UK market and we’ve recognised the merits of launching a service offering which will bring the benefit of our in depth market knowledge to both property developers and consumers alike.
“What we’ve seen recently is more institutional interest in residential property, and we believe there’s a real opportunity to build on the work of our residential land agency specialism and create real synergies to support both existing and new clients.”
