Residents have begun moving into the first completed houses at a new affordable housing development at Wharton Road, Winsford which is being built by Breck.
The completed homes have been handed over to residents by housing provider, Jigsaw Homes Group, which will manage the properties on completion.
The site is set to be fully complete in 2026. It will include 205 one-to-four-bedroom houses and apartments which will all be made available for affordable rent, Rent to Buy and shared ownership, addressing the need for affordable homes and opportunities for home ownership in the Winsford area.
The development, which received funding from Homes England, originally gained planning permission in 2020 but stalled when its initial developer Lane End went into administration in 2022.
Breck was appointed to the £29m contract to complete the part-built site following a successful tender in October 2023 and began construction the following month.
James was one of the first residents to move into a three-bedroom home for Rent to Buy, with his wife and two daughters.
The family had been privately renting for years but were unable to put away any savings and didn’t think they would ever be able to get on the property ladder.
James, who works in Runcorn as a transport manager, said: “When the opportunity for this property came up, we jumped at it straight away and enquired about Rent to Buy. We can pay rent at a slightly reduced rate, and it gives us the chance to save so we can eventually buy the house.
“We know the area of Winsford well and this is going to be a fantastic development. We are so happy with it and feel very lucky. Just coming through the door after a day at work just makes us smile and we are not planning on going anywhere else!”
Andy Garnett, director, Breck, said: “Reaching this stage is a real milestone for any housing development and it’s rewarding to see the project starting to address the demand for affordable housing in the Winsford area.
“The funding that Jigsaw Homes received from Homes England has helped breathe new life into a stalled development – and it’s one of Breck’s biggest developments to date. As we look ahead into 2025, we’re keen to continue working with housing providers like Jigsaw to deliver further significant, high-quality affordable housing in areas it is needed across the North.”
Garnet Fazackerley, operations director of development at Jigsaw Homes Group said: “This is one of our largest housing developments to date, and we are thrilled to see the first residents moving into their new homes.
“We are proud to be working with our partners Breck, Cheshire West Council and Homes England to bring these much-needed, quality, affordable homes to people who need them and for those who want to take that step towards home ownership.”
Breck specialises in developing affordable houses between 25 and 250 units for registered affordable housing providers as well as homes for open market sale on sites between 10 and 50 units. It currently has an active development pipeline of around 1300 housing units across the North of England.
