Funding of more than £1.5m has been secured to support a planning application to deliver more than 100 affordable homes on an historic site in Bolton.

Pegasus Group secured the funding from the Brownfield Housing Fund (BHF) on behalf of Westchurch Homes Ltd for its proposed redevelopment on Century Mill in Farnworth.

The submitted bid totalling £1,587,508 was approved by The Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

The BHF is awarded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to enable derelict and underused brownfield sites across England to be transformed to create new homes and communities.

Westchurch Homes submitted an application for full planning permission at Century Mill for the redevelopment of the site earlier this year and is currently pending approval. If approved, the development will provide 100% affordable housing for the area, with 106 new homes comprising a mix of detached, semi-detached, terraced and apartment properties.

Darren Muir, Associate at Pegasus Group’s Liverpool office, said: “We are delighted with the result, which will unlock a challenging site to provide much-needed affordable housing.
“As specialists in planning and regeneration, Pegasus Group strives to find solutions that enable the delivery of difficult developments.

“Working with Westchurch Homes, we put forward a strong case to demonstrate that the necessary criteria were met. There is a long history of residential approvals at the site dating back over 20 years.

“Despite being allocated for housing in the development plan, none of these have been delivered. The awarding of the Brownfield Housing Fund will enable regeneration of the site to finally be realised, subject to planning permission being granted.”

A spokesperson for Westchurch Homes said: “The approval of the grant is a milestone in unlocking this sustainable development opportunity and we are grateful to the professionalism and expertise of Pegasus Group in achieving that.

“Subject to planning permission being granted and in partnership with our selected registered provider. we aim to start on site in the winter and deliver the scheme promptly.

“This will provide homes suitable for a range of households, including families, and make a positive contribution to sustainable growth in Farnworth .”

For more information about this project, or any of Pegasus Group’s services please contact us.

Images courtesy of Dickinson Waugh Conservation.