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Ellesmere Port becomes a housing hotspot as the property boom continues

The Ellesmere Port housing boom continues to gather pace, between 2010 and 2020 there were 2,355 new houses, flats and apartments completed in the much sought-after west Cheshire location.

Which is on track for the Local Plan target of 4,800 by 2030. 

The latest figures are the culmination of a 10 year-plan by the Ellesmere Port Development Board working with Cheshire West and Chester Council, which aimed to create thousands of new jobs, attract millions of pounds worth of investment and build thousands of new homes. 

Details of over 600 properties being planned were shared with the Ellesmere Port Development Board, with major developers Barratts, Redrow, Countryside, MacBryde Homes, Bellway, Persimmon, Magenta, Northstone, Sanctuary, Linden Homes and Anwyl all present in the area. 

There were 81 affordable homes completed in the past year at Whitby Road, Ledsham Garden Village, Wellington Place (Cromwell Road), and Sycamore Garden Centre (Chester Road Great Sutton) offering a mixture of rented accommodation and low-cost home ownership properties. 1,128 houses are under construction with a steady stream of new planning applications. The forecast for new affordable housing in the next year sees an additional 172 homes. 

This is in addition to 115 units on the Anwyl/Torus site at Rossfield Rd and 98 on Ledsham Rd phases 1-3. 

Affordable homes will also be included on the following planned sites: Station Hotel (19 units), Sutton Way (16 units), former Sutton PH (17 units), Phoenix Lodge (7 units) and Abb Capacitors, Rossmore Rd (9 units). 

Growth and energy are at the heart of Ellesmere Port with new housing developments, new retail investments, and thousands of new students arriving in the town centre Cheshire College South & West - Ellesmere Port campus.  There is significant investment occurring in its employment base through international companies ranging from Vauxhall, to Essar Energy and EA Technology. 

Councillor Matt Bryan, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning & Climate Emergency said: “Ellesmere Port has proved to be a magnet for new housing, the combination of growing confidence in the area, exciting new job opportunities and investments from both the public and private sectors continues to attract new developments. 

“The speed at which the new houses are being bought and rented shows the developers were right and they now have a challenge to keep up with the demand. Another important factor is the mix we have between affordable and market rate properties and the range from one room to large family houses being built. 

“Whilst Ellesmere Port industry is positioning to be leading the new green revolution in carbon capture and hydrogen production, it is encouraging to see the prospectus for Rossfield Park promoting properties exceeding standard energy-efficiency requirements by including technology to lower energy bills and carbon emissions plus electric vehicle charging points and other green technology. 

“The Council is asking residents for their thoughts on housing as part of the consultation for the Local Plan. 37 per cent of people who have completed the poll on the website support new homes being built in their area but what standards would you like to see, or improvements made?” 

To join the conversation on homes in the Local Plan consultation visit: https://participatenow.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/local-plan-homes . 

Chairman of the Ellesmere Port Development Board Chris Farrow added: “Ten years ago the Development Board was charged with restoring, ‘Pride in the Port’ but we were shocked to discover that only ten new homes a year were being built. We agreed a Plan with the Council, building on the area’s assets and community spirit. Today we average 500 new homes a year. Ellesmere Port is a convenient location, with good homes at a competitive price. There is more to come.”

The Ellesmere Port Board heard about the progress on their ambitious aspirations. Showing a clear confidence in Ellesmere Port there is a long list of planning applications for future house building. 

  • Demolition of the former Station Hotel, Station Road and the development of 19 affordable apartments (approval given in April) 
  • Phoenix Lodge, Cromwell Road, an application to refurbish the existing unoccupied former social club to create seven affordable 1 bed studio-style apartments (approved in April). 
  • Erection of 29 dwellings including all associated infrastructure, parking and private/communal amenity space in Cromwell Road (awaiting planning permission). 
  • Northstone Developers are proposing 218 homes, at Rossfield Park and Jacks Wood Avenue plus open space, pedestrian and cycle-level rail crossing and improvements to footbridge approach on Ross Road. The prospectus promotes properties exceeding standard energy-efficiency requirements by including technology to lower energy bills plus electric vehicle charging points and other green technology (approval given in July). 
  • MCI Development have an application for 127 houses and 60 apartments along with associated infrastructure. Located on Meadow Lane (awaiting planning permission). 
  • Portside House, Lower Mersey Street, an application for change of use of existing offices into 12 residential apartments in the central section of Portside House (awaiting planning permission). 
  • Land at Clay Pit Gardens, Hooton, development of 60 dwellings, phase two of Milne Homes Development at the back of the main site (application submitted). 
  • Former RPV Trading Site, Coronation Road, development of 39, one- and two-bedroom apartments with resident’s lounge and associated car parking/landscaping (awaiting planning permission). 
  • Former British Legion, Stanney Lane, Lane End Group are proposing 63 dwellings comprising of 26 one and two bedroom apartments in a two storey block, 16 two bedroom houses, 9 three bedroom houses and 12 one bedroom cottage style apartments, a new access road and associated external works (application submitted). 
  • Lloyd Drive, Cheshire Oaks Park, Seddon Developments are proposing an 80-bed care development for older persons offering mental health rehabilitation (application submitted).

This is in addition to the recent developments 

  • Vistry Partnerships and Cheshire West and Chester Council are working together to build 107 new properties in Ellesmere Port of which 68 will be affordable homes. Acorns Green is a Linden Homes development in the centre of Ellesmere Port with 55 new homes, with the first completions due late summer 2021. The site of Rivacre Business centre has 52 homes with market houses for sale, together with both Council and local housing association affordable homes. 
  • The Oaks was one of the fastest selling developments for Anwyl Homes since their launch in 2017. The Rossmore Road site offered 120 homes for first time buyers and families. Anwyl Homes has now started work on a new development of 130 homes off Rossbank Road. They will also be creating a multi-use games area, football pitch and areas of green open space to be enjoyed by new residents. 
  • Torus has now closed the first phase of The Coppice, their Rossmore Road East development. Listed as coming soon are 48 homes available to purchase through shared ownership with a mix of homes suitable for first time buyers. 
  • DifRent are promoting two phases of a development on Cromwell Road. 
  • Archway Homes, Lime Tree Grange is a development of seven four-bedroom homes, each with its own garage and gardens, by Cheshire Oaks. 
  • Sycamore Gardens is a new development of 27 homes for shared ownership in Great Sutton, from developer Onward Living. 
  • The Chase Park development built by Guiliford Try in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council on the site of the old greyhound stadium has all 141 homes now rented or sold. 
  • Oakley Park is a Castle Green development across 12 acres with all properties now sold or under offer. 
  • Barratt Homes Cottage Gardens site on Sutton Way, has now sold all 140 new homes.

The Ellesmere Port Industrial Area has 1,330 businesses employing 24,100 people, this is expected to increase to 1,463 businesses and 35,500 jobs by 2040. Ellesmere Port has attracted over £400 million private sector investment to date including Regatta, Jaguar Land Rover / DHL, Westland Horticulture, Marks and Spencer, ESSAR, Peel (Protos), URENCO, Cheshire Oaks, University of Chester (Thornton Science Park) with a further £2 billion forecast.

 

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