Housebuilder Anwyl Homes set to start construction on 127 new homes on what was part of Unilever’s R&D site in Wirral after completing demolition work. Tony McDonough reports
Anwyl Homes has completed demolition work on part of what was part of Unilever’s R&D site in Bebington in Wirral and will shortly start building 127 new homes.
In October 2024 consumer products giant Unilever completed the sale of the nine-acre plot to Anwyl. The housebuilder first applied for planning permission in 2022 and secured consent in August 2024.
Unilever first put the land up for sale in 2020. It forms part of the company’s R&D facility on Quarry Road East which is separated from its Port Sunlight factory complex by a road and a railway line. Hundreds of scientists and support staff are employed at the site.
Other buildings in the complex, including the Manufacturing Technology Centre and the recently built Advanced Manufacturing Centre, are not affected by the sale. Unilever will use proceeds from the sale to reinvest in the facilities. Demolition of the surplus buildings started early this year.
This residential development will be called Lottie Gardens, in honour of Bebington-born sportswoman Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Dod (1871 to 1960) a celebrated five-time Wimbledon tennis champion, Olympic silver medal-winning archer and national golf champion.
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Mark Calvert, managing director for Anwyl Homes Cheshire and North Wales, said: “Concluding the demolition and initial infrastructure works is a key step forward for Lottie Gardens.
“Handover of phase one is scheduled for August, paving the way for the first foundations for new homes to be laid. It’s exciting to see this historic site taking shape. It’s set to become a vibrant new community that respects the local character, while offering energy-efficient, high-specification homes.”
In preparation for the first homes being released, a sales area is also being created on site, with a temporary sales office set to open to homebuyers in September. Show homes are due to open early next year.
Once complete, the homes at Lottie Gardens will each include private gardens and off-road parking, while a woodland on site will be retained and linked by a new footpath to St Andrews Road.
Anwyl will also contribute £677,000 in community investments as part of the planning agreement, supporting local parks, sports pitches, biodiversity improvements, and transport infrastructure.