Create acquires 115 acres in Winsford housing zone

The residential arm of Create Group has acquired the lion’s share of the Winsford Station Quarter, a residential priority area for the local authority.

The Station Quarter is in effect an urban extension, with Cheshire West & Chester Council looking to support the delivery of around 1,000 homes on former agricultural land to the south-east of the town, an area that benefits from proximity to the railway station.

Bottom Flash, an open expanse of water along the River Weaver caused by historic salt mining processes, sits to the west of the site, while the whole plan rests on a new access point from the A54.

In a development brief issued for the Winsford Station Quarter in 2016, CWAC ‘s advisor Tibbalds outlined the division of the Station Quarter into five allocations.

Of these, S1 was the largest, earmarked for 665 homes, a neighbourhood centre and 54 acres of open space by the waterside. Up to 386 homes were included in the further four plots.

The situation has since changed, with Lane End now developing Weaver Meadows, a 215-home project on Rilshaw Lane for Laurus Homes.

Place North West understands that Create’s acquisition covers all of the S1 allocation, plus what remains of the S2 and S3 plots – these accounted for 325 homes prior to the Laurus project, which could mean a potential 700 to 800 homes within the Create allocation.

Create said that the Clive Farm site deal, for an undisclosed sum, was spearheaded by recently appointed Create Homes managing director Andrew Booth along with Create Developments’ development director Tim Rackham. Sandbach-based Prosperity Land and Development was the agent for the deal.

Andrew Booth said: “Following initial positive discussions with Cheshire West & Chester Council, we will now work with them and the local community to produce more detailed proposals for the delivery of the land in order to support a high quality and sustainable new community.”

Headquartered in Blackpool, Create has been busy in recent months. Last week, the company said that its construction and development arms were teaming up to deliver a £7m extension to the Hampton by Hilton hotel delivered in its hometown in 2018, while it is also working on hotel projects near the Trafford Centre and next to Stockport’s Redrock.

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Yet another housing project with absolutely no chance of improving the town infrastructure.
Winsford must be the only town in the country without a decent restaurant a decent dining pub within its boundary, a cinema, a park with amenities, particularly for kids

By Clive Cooper

This is a terrible decision for Winsford. There is no road infrastructure, to Crewe , with narrow lanes, hump back bridges narrow bridges , plus the low bridge at Middlewich. Rilshaw Lane cannot cope with additional traffic ,. The local wildlife will be decimated. Leighton will not be able to cope ,with all of the additional patients. The town centre has nothing to offer for residents. The people who decide these plans, have no idea , about the infrastructure, of the local area.

By Anonymous

Let’s hope the developer have the decency to consider dredging the bottom flash. The flooding caused by the ever increasing number of new homes will only get worse with each tree that is cut down and replaced by tarmac, concrete and decking.

By Teresa

I fail to see how this will improve the town of Winsford. However I can see how this will cause more flooding in the area and longer trafic holdups.

By R Fletcher

I’m appalled by the decision to build yet more housing in a town with such little infrastructure, not to mention amenities. This will have such a detrimental effect on the local environment. The council obviously don’t listen to the concerns of local people and they certainly aren’t considering what is best for the town, just the short term monetary gain.

By Local Bird

Outstanding. More expensive houses for southern people that move up north and still work in London

By Cm

I’ve been here 20 years, don’t feel any population explosion. Projects like this to attract money not to add to local wellbeing. Agree with others re infrastructure. Walkways and cycle paths should be easy, free and safe. And exist.

By Bill Rodick

How do they expect Rilshaw lane and Station Road to cope with the extra traffic? Station road is already an obstacle course. This cannot go ahead without access from the bypass. And it shouldn’t go ahead at all. Not enough school places, Doctors, Dentist slots. This needs a cohesive and concerted effort to block it.

By Phill Holt

Oh dear, NIMBY’s out in force here – where exactly do they expect CWAC to build these, from what I can see most of CWAC’s major towns and villages are getting extended, and a lot of them they aren’t on railways either.

By Rich X

I believe there is a huge open space in Chester next to the River Dee, Room for many many houses. It’s only used a few times each year.
Why is it CWAC always decide that Winsford can have these huge housing projects. Even our local councillors do not try and stop them.

By Barry Bishop

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