Cumbrian housebuilder to deliver 60 new homes on Royal London site

Cumbrian housebuilder, Story Homes, has purchased 9 acres of the former Royal London campus in Wilmslow to develop 60 new homes in the town.

The housebuilder has acquired the 9.1-acre Westlands plot of the wider Fulshaw Park campus for an undisclosed sum and already has outline planning consent for residential development. The purchase comes as part of Story Homes ongoing expansion, with the Carlisle-based firm also having recently submitted planning application for 53 new homes at The Oaks, also in Wilmslow.

Adam Galleymore, North West Land and Planning Director, Story Homes said: 

“Westlands is the ideal addition to our growing portfolio and the acquisition is in line with our strategy to expand further into the North West region. Wilmslow is a sought after town in the heart of Cheshire and we look forward to developing our plans for this site to create a development which is appropriately designed to meet the high expectations of the surrounding community.”

Mike Brassington, Director of Residential Development at Colliers who advised Royal London in the sale of the plot and led the search to find a housebuilder to take the site forward, added: 

“Located within walking distance from the highly desirable town centre of Wilmslow, Westlands boasts proximity to a wide range of local amenities including excellent schools as well as high-end retail and leisure facilities. The site’s prominence on Alderley Road, the ‘southern gateway’ to Wilmslow, means it also benefits from being close to Alderley Edge; an equally desirable town within Cheshire’s ‘Golden Triangle’.

“Story Homes is a credible housebuilder with a strong track record of building high quality homes carefully designed to offer more character and space between houses for families to enjoy. This will no doubt resonate with homebuyers looking to purchase a home in this part of Cheshire.”

Royal London is also being advised by Colliers on the redevelopment of the remainder of its Fulshaw Park campus in Wilmslow ahead of a move by the financial services firm to Alderley Park. Planning consent has been approved for a further 120 homes on the site, which will also include 17,000 sq ft of commercial office space. Andrew Johnston, Royal London Asset Management added:

“Story Homes is the ideal partner to bring forward the residential land to the west of Alderley Road. Securing the right housebuilder for this site represents a significant step in the progression of our masterplan for this important local employment site.”