Wigan approves housing scheme that will deliver 100% affordable homes

A 100% affordable homes development will provide 106 new houses for Wigan.

The scheme, on the brownfield site of the former Enterprise House, in Ince, will be built by premium-partnerships developer Stonebond and Great Places Housing Group.

Grant funding to support the redevelopment of the brownfield site has been secured from Homes England and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Half of the new homes will be available for affordable rent, with the remaining 50% offered as shared ownership. They will include two-, three- and four-bedroom homes which will be built in a mix of detached, semi-detached and mews style properties.

The new development will achieve a minimum 10% biodiversity net-gain, with new areas of open green space and a trim trail.

A new footpath connecting nearby Laburnum Avenue will be created, providing easy access to nearby Ince train station.

The development is one of a number that Stonebond and Great Places are currently bringing forward. In June the two businesses announced a new partnership agreement that will initially deliver more than 600 affordable homes.

The partnership is an open-ended agreement which provides a long term strategic framework between the two parties, with the potential to deliver further homes in the future. The homes will be delivered on multiple brownfield sites across Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

Mark Russell, land and partnerships director at Stonebond, said: “We’ve worked closely with Great Places to bring forward these proposals. This 100% affordable housing development will make a significant impact on the area’s affordable housing supply, helping local people to buy or rent a new home.

“It will also provide a significant boost to the local economy and will create new jobs whilst providing training and employment opportunities locally.”

Nick Gornall, director of development at Great Places Housing Group, said: “Great Places is committed to playing our part in tackling the housing crisis in the North West, and the planning approval for Enterprise House is the first of many more to come under our partnership agreement with Stonebond.

“Collaboration has been essential to bring this site forward to deliver much needed affordable housing in Wigan, and we’re looking forward to construction commencing on site shortly.”

Stonebond and Great Places were advised by Lichfields, Eddisons, E3P, Urban Green, Townsend Water Engineering and Rider Levett Bucknall.