161 new properties are set to be constructed, 69 of which will be located near to Advantage’s headquarters in Birchwood.

As reported by the Warrington Guardian, planning permission has been granted to build 69 properties for private rent and private affordable rent (consisting of 32 two-storey houses and 37 apartments) in Birchwood.

Proposals to build 92 homes for private rent and private affordable rent (consisting of 47 two-storey houses and 45 apartments) within Great Sankey were also given the green light.

The new homes will be built on the former Fox Wood school site on Chatfield Drive in Birchwood, and the former Sycamore Lane Community Primary School site in Great Sankey.

The bigger picture for affordable housing

With the UK as a whole still facing an under-supply of affordable housing (which is something Advantage has written about before) housing secretary Robert Jenrick has extended the £9bn Affordable Homes Programme by a year, giving housing associations and councils more time to begin builds.

As reported by EG (Estates Gazette): Recipients of grant funding were required to have shovels in the ground by March 2022. Jenrick has moved the deadline to March 2023, following construction delays during the coronavirus pandemic.

The government said the building of some 53,000 affordable homes has stalled during lockdown.

The new deadline will only apply to homes which are contracted for delivery as part of the £9bn Affordable Homes Programme.

Advantage’s view

As UK lockdown measures continue to ease, the pressure is already back on for local and national government to prioritise increasing the supply of affordable housing. This has been a long-held target for the government, and one which potentially brings long-term societal benefits as well as a short-term boost to the construction sector, which, as we’ve written before, is currently aiding the nation’s economic recovery.

Advantage is proud to work with individual house builders and developers on a wide range of projects. If you would like more information, call: 0845 900 3969, email: sales@ahci.co.uk or pay a visit to our homepage: https://ahci.co.uk/