The delivery of more than 800 new homes in Maghull has moved a step closer with the submission of a reserved matters planning application for the first two phases.
Our Lancashire division has applied to Sefton Borough Council for approval to build an initial two phases of 249 homes on a 15.74 acre parcel of land off School Lane. The land forms part of a larger strategic site allocated for housing under the Council’s Local Plan as well as the Maghull Neighbourhood Plan. The wider 80-acre site benefits from outline planning permission (DC/2017/01528) for 855 homes with a local centre, an over 55s’ development, more than 18 acres of public open space and woodland area along with a multiuse games area, which will be developed over the longer term.
The land is currently part-owned by Anwyl, and two other private landowners. John Grime, managing director of Anwyl Homes Lancashire, said:
“We’ve been working closely with the land agent acting for the other landowners and with Sefton Borough Council to draw up plans to bring forward the phased development of this strategic site in Maghull. The council has a specific housing mix requirement based on identified need and our plans are shaped around this. The current application represents phases one and two and is for 249 new homes, including 74 affordable homes and 175 private properties.
“Going forward, we anticipate that the wider site will deliver up to 840 homes in a phased development, over a number of years, with 250-plus affordable homes earmarked. Due to the volume of homes and significant infrastructure investment required to develop the wider site, including a much-needed link road to be constructed from School Lane to Poverty Lane, the overall Maghull East scheme is being delivered in manageable phases. We are in discussions with other developers to create the local centre, which will comprise a supermarket and carpark, along with a pub and/or children’s pre-school nursery. Throughout the project Maghull Town Council will be major consultees.”
Subject to planning, Anwyl could start work on the development in summer 2024, with the first properties expected to be released for sale in 2025. A registered social landlord or registered provider to deliver the affordable housing element of the scheme is expected to be confirmed in early 2024.
The planned 175 open market properties would offer a choice of two, three and four-bedroom homes in a variety of styles. The scheme also includes 52 rental properties and 22 intermediate/ shared ownership homes in a mix of two and three-bedroom designs. To ensure the new neighbourhood is sustainable, section 106 contributions linked to the overall proposals would see funding allocated to schools, health care, recent highways improvements and the link roads to junction one of the M58. There would also be public transport contribution with funding also allocated to the canal and to recreation improvements in the locality. The planning consultants acting for Anwyl in respect of this application are Connollys. Demonstrating Anwyl’s thoughtful approach and commitment to the communities it operates in, the homebuilder has gifted logs to the Friends of Maghull and District for a children’s eco-educational nature corner at the Woodend Community Woodland Project, also known as Bobby’s Wood. 
Their four-year crowd-funded green transformation project received extraordinary community support during the height of the pandemic, which the award-winning FOMD celebrated with the unveiling of a community kindness (CK) installation to inspire future acts of community kindness. It comprises of an uplifting community refurbished floral painted iconic Lambanana surrounded by a rockery punctuated with plaques highlighting acts of kindness, that will be updated regularly with new stories and referenced in perpetuity on their website.
