£82m deal will help drive 50% increase in homebuilder’s construction targets

A North West-based housebuilder is upping its land acquisition as it seeks to increase the number of homes it builds by 50%, funded by an £82.5m revolving credit facility.

Anwyl Group has been in business for almost a century and is run by the fourth generation of the Anwyl family, building family homes across North Wales, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire.

To support its ambitious plans to build 1,200 homes each year, Anwyl is looking to acquire land in areas where it has existing developments, as well as branching out across the North West region and south into Shropshire and Staffordshire.

The housebuilder’s growth plans will be supported by an £82.5m revolving credit facility split between Lloyds Bank, which has worked with Anwyl for more than 80 years, and HSBC.

Anwyl’s already making headway on these growth ambitions, having recently submitted plans to deliver 144 new homes in Carrington, Greater Manchester.

The homes will be a mixture of houses and apartments across a 15-acre site known as The Meadow, and plans include 130 two-, three- and four-bedroom properties for private sale, as well as 14 two- and three-bedroom affordable rent and shared ownership homes. The proposed properties will include renewable technology such as solar panels and heat pumps, and electric vehicle charging points.

Building more sustainable homes is at the forefront of the business’s growth strategy, with nine in 10 homes it built last year rated EPC B or above. It’s now looking to take this one step further, aiming for up to 70% of houses it delivers over the next 12 months to secure EPC A rating.

Part of this will include installing air source heat pumps and solar panels to help future-proof properties ahead of changing regulations that will come in with the Future Homes Standard in 2025.

As well as purchasing land for development and enhancing its housing targets, the business also plans to use this opportunity to help upskill its 250-strong workforce. Last calendar year, 50 of its colleagues successfully completed development, coaching and leadership programmes, and the company intends to replicate those numbers over the next two years.

Mathew Anwyl, main board director at Anwyl Construction, said: “Our family has been at the helm of Anwyl since it was founded in 1930 as a joinery and woodworking contractor. Since then, we’ve expanded into new homes, development partnerships and land acquisition, supporting communities with properties across the North West of England and North Wales.

“We predominantly build homes for private sale, alongside an element of affordable homes for local people with different tenures, ensuring our developments meet a wide range of needs.”

He added: “We’ve maintained substantial organic growth over the last decade, despite various challenges, but the funding from Lloyds Bank and HSBC is helping us kick those ambitions up a notch as we look towards the next five years. This will create additional and much needed open market and affordable homes, while creating employment opportunities both directly and indirectly through the supply chain. It will also deliver significant economic boosts through local spend in the towns and communities we build in.

“Lloyds Bank have been a part of our journey for over 80 years, and we’re grateful for all the support they’ve given us in that time. We’re also pleased to be welcoming HSBC into the relationship and know that we’re in good hands with the two by our side.”

John Csizmadia, relationship director at Lloyds Bank said: “Anwyl has a strong heritage and reputation for building good quality, family homes across the North West. We’ve been by its side for over 80 years and are proud to support a business with ambitious growth plans, especially at a time when the country is facing a housing crisis.”

Kevin Dawson, Relationship Director at HSBC UK, said: “Not only is Anywl increasing the number of homes available to people in the North West of England and North Wales, but they are also committed to making sure they are energy efficient.

“We are looking to continue to expand our support to businesses in this sector and contributing to this facility – our first loan with Anwyl – marks a significant moment in that journey.”