Equans completes £16.2m Winsford resi

The housebuilder has created 138 homes on the former brownfield site between Smokehall Lane and Deakins Road.

Equans was the lead contractor for the £16.2m Wharton Green development, which has now been completed. The Winsford scheme has been delivered in partnership with Cheshire West and Chester Council, as well as housing providers Qwest Homes and ForViva.

Designed by MPSL Planning & Design, the project is made up of two- to four-bedroom houses, of which 60 are available for shared ownership under the management of ForLiving.

Paul Gerrard, director of ForLiving, said: “We’re really proud of the 60 shared ownership homes we’ve built as part of the wider community at Wharton Green.

“These high-quality homes offer families a flexible, affordable way to achieve their dream of becoming homeowners.

Sustainability-wise, all properties come equipped with electric vehicle charging points, while five of the homes are carbon net zero.

With a newly created access point off Wharton Road, the existing road has been widened to improve the highway infrastructure. Planting and sound buffers have also been installed to reduce the noise of the nearby railway line and surrounding industrial sites.

Equans submitted the plans for the project in 2019, starting work the following year.

Throughout the scheme’s delivery, more than £240,000 of social value has been generated for the Winsford area, including 31 employability and sector-based training sessions.

Ryan James, new build director at Equans, said: “It’s great to see work on Wharton Green drawing to a close, with the scheme already creating a real sense of community in Winsford.

“These sustainable plots are providing much-needed affordable homes, with the zero-carbon pilot plots paving the way for future schemes.”

Cllr Nathan Pardoe, cabinet member for inclusive economy, regeneration, and digital transformation at CWAC, added: “The partnership between Equans, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Qwest, and ForLiving has delivered quality homes in Winsford for families, with a real sense of community.

“I’m particularly proud of the new social housing, public open spaces, and zero-carbon pilot plots.”

Want to learn more about the project? Search for application number 19/03573/FUL on CWAC’s planning portal.