Highlights:
- On behalf of Torus, the affordable housing provider, Watkin Jones will develop 295 new homes as part of a regeneration scheme in St Helens, Merseyside
- The project will create much needed new affordable homes with fully electric heating, in alignment with Watkin Jones' ESG commitments
- The new homes will be located a short distance from St Helens town centre and will benefit from significant green spaces
Watkin Jones, the UK’s leading developer and manager of residential properties for rent, is pleased to announce it has agreed to develop and deliver 295 new homes on behalf of Torus, the largest affordable housing provider in the North West of England, which will be partly funded by Homes England.
The new scheme will result in the regeneration of an existing brownfield site, forming part of an overall masterplan to regenerate the former industrial site in St Helens, with the initial phases already under construction by third parties. This next phase of the scheme will see Watkin Jones deliver 295 new homes with a mix of affordable tenures.
The scheme, which is entirely focused on delivering new, affordable properties (including social rentals), will introduce two, three, and four-bedroom family homes, in addition to mews-type properties and apartments.
Upon completion, Torus, which has a proven track record of delivering much needed housing and creating vibrant communities across the North West, will manage the development. The new properties will be located within walking distance of St Helens’ town centre and its well-connected rail station that offers fast trains to Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow.
The development will benefit from significant green space and high-quality landscaping for residents. Furthermore, by working with its partners, Watkin Jones will deliver a revitalised brownfield site that will be fossil-fuel free, offering fully electric heating, aligning with its ESG commitments to sustainability.
George Dyer, Group Investment Director of Watkin Jones, said:
“We’re delighted to be working with Torus to deliver 295 homes in St Helens. The scheme will provide affordable housing across a variety of tenures, and will allow residents to benefit from high-quality housing offering good sustainability credentials.
“Like many towns across the country, there is a clear shortage of affordable housing in St Helens, so we are excited to be partnering with Torus, an organisation that has consistently demonstrated its dedication to addressing the housing challenges across the region.
“Delivering residential homes remains a key element of our overall residential strategy, and we look forward to growing our partnerships further in this space.”
- Ends -
Media enquiries:
MHP Group (Watkin Jones)
Reg Hoare, Rachel Farrington, Charles Hirst
watkinjones@mhpgroup.com
Tel: +44 (0) 7770 753 544
Notes to Editors
Watkin Jones is the UK's leading developer and manager of residential for rent, with a focus on the build to rent, student accommodation and affordable housing sectors. The Group has strong relationships with institutional investors, and a reputation for successful, on-time-delivery of high-quality developments. Since 1999, Watkin Jones has delivered 48,000 student beds across 143 sites, making it a key player and leader in the UK purpose-built student accommodation market, and is increasingly expanding its operations into the build to rent sector.
In addition, Fresh, the Group's specialist accommodation management business, manages over 16,940 student beds and build to rent apartments on behalf of its institutional clients. Watkin Jones has also been responsible for over 80 residential developments, ranging from starter homes to executive housing and apartments.
The Group's competitive advantage lies in its experienced management team and capital-light business model, which enables it to offer an end-to-end solution for investors, delivered entirely in-house with minimal reliance on third parties, across the entire life cycle of an asset.
Watkin Jones was admitted to trading on AIM in March 2016 with the ticker WJG.L. For additional information please visit www.watkinjonesplc.com