WORK to prepare land in Leigh for new homes is underway after Prospect Homes acquired a 4.2 acre parcel of land.
Wigan Council granted Prospect Homes planning consent to build 57 new homes on the Bettison Avenue site last October.
Prospect has just completed the acquisition of the site and begun treatment of Japanese Knotweed. This will be followed by a full start on site by construction teams, who will begin with creating a new access road before work on the homes gets underway.
The development, known as Brook View in recognition of its proximity to Bedford Brook, will offer a range of high quality, high specification homes for the local community in a sustainable location.
The scheme will comprise a mix of two, three and four-bedroom homes, the first of which will be released for sale in the autumn.
Brook View will also include seven shared ownership properties, available through a partnership with Riverside Home Ownership, with both Prospect Homes and Riverside Home Ownership part of the Riverside Group.
David Clifton, head of land at Prospect Homes, said: “Brook View is the first scheme to go live with the new management team in place at Prospect Homes. The site will be developed as a natural and logical extension to the neighbouring residential area, with careful consideration given during the design process to the relationship with the existing properties on Bettison and Highfield Avenues.
“The housing mix takes into account the housing needs set out in the latest Wigan Strategic Housing Market Assessment and follows extensive market research to understand the requirement of the local housing supply.
“We are very excited as we hope this to be the first of a number of sites that will be acquiring and bringing to market in the next 12 months.
Along with new homes, the Brook View development will bring investment to the area including almost £100,000 for highways improvement works and £15,000 for offsite biodiversity.
Informal green space along the eastern boundary of the site will provide a buffer between the homes and the Bedford Brook, helping to enhance its benefits to wildlife.
Existing trees around the outer boundary will be retained and grassland areas alongside the hedgerows reinstated with wildflowers and perimeter areas managed to encourage an informal rural character.
A robust, new landscape scheme includes tree planting, hedges, shrubs, climbers, bulbs and wildflowers to encourage wildlife and enhance biodiversity.
