Developer behind a multi-million pound housing project to build 125 homes in Wirral secures £82.5m credit facility. Tony McDonough reports
Housing developer Anwly Group has secured a new £82.5m credit facility as it looks to start work on a multi-million pound housing project in Wirral.
Flintshire-based Anwyl plans to build 125 new homes, ranging from one to four-bedroom, on part of what is currently consumer giant Unilever’s R&D complex. It agreed to acquire the eight-acre site in Bebington subject to planning consent being approved.
In May LBN revealed the go-ahead for the scheme is “imminent”. It is delegated which means it will not have to go through Wirral Council’s planning process. Anwyl hopes to begin work on site in the autumn.
Now family-owned Anwyl has secured an £82.5m revolving credit facility split between Lloyds Bank, which has worked with the developer for more than 80 years, and HSBC.
This will help fund the Wirral scheme as well as plans to increase the number of homes it builds by 50%. It is aiming for 1,200 homes a year and will focus not just on Merseyside, North Wales, Cheshire and Lancashire but also on Shropshire and Staffordshire.
Anwyl Group has been in business for almost a century and is run by the fourth generation of the Anwyl family.
Mathew Anwyl, main board director at Anwyl Construction, said: “Our family has been at the helm of Anwyl since it was founded in 1930 as a joinery and woodworking contractor.
“Since then we’ve expanded into new homes, development partnerships and land acquisition, supporting communities with properties across the North West of England and North Wales.
“We predominantly build homes for private sale, alongside an element of affordable homes for local people with different tenures, ensuring our developments meet a wide range of needs.”
Building more sustainable homes is at the forefront of the business’ growth strategy, with nine in 10 homes it built last year rated EPC B or above.
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It’s now looking to take this one step further, aiming for up to 70% of houses it delivers over the next 12 months to secure EPC A rating.
Part of this will include installing air source heat pumps and solar panels to help future-proof properties ahead of changing regulations that will come in with the Future Homes Standard in 2025.