Magenta Living has reached a significant milestone at its Sandbank Point development in West Kirby, becoming the first organisation in the country to draw down funding from Homes England’s Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP).
The development will deliver 14 high-quality, energy-efficient homes, including the first new social rent homes in the area for ten years, helping to meet local housing needs across Wirral.
Sandbank Point forms part of Magenta Living’s wider ambition to deliver 1,300 new homes, supporting the creation of sustainable communities in Wirral and across the Liverpool City Region.
The scheme will offer a mix of two- and three-bedroom homes, all built to an EPC A standard, ensuring they are highly energy efficient and more affordable to run for future residents.
Eight of the homes will be available for social rent, with the remaining six offered for private rent, creating a mixed-tenure development designed to respond to a range of housing needs.
The homes are being delivered in partnership with Wirral-based developer Starship, using modern methods of construction. External walls and roofs are manufactured off-site and assembled on location, helping to reduce build time, minimise disruption to the local community and improve environmental performance.
Sandbank Point is being developed on the former site of Ashton Court sheltered accommodation, bringing the site back into residential use and contributing to the regeneration of the area.
Andy Lomas, Chief Executive of Magenta Living, said:
“Sandbank Point marks an exciting new chapter for Magenta Living in West Kirby. We’re proud to work with Starship on a development that reflects our commitment to building sustainable, future-ready homes, while supporting the region’s ambition to increase the supply of affordable housing.”
Cllr Paula Basnett, Leader of Wirral Council, said:
“This is exactly what we mean when we talk about working together in Wirral: a local housing association in Magenta, a local developer in Starship and a joint commitment to delivering more affordable, sustainable homes for our communities. The progress we can see on site in West Kirby really brings this to life – high quality new homes, being built quickly and with minimal disruption, that will help local people stay close to the places and people that matter to them.”
Shahi Islam, Director of Affordable Housing Grants at Homes England, said:
"The new Social and Affordable Homes Programme is designed to provide vital grant funding to support the delivery of new homes that meet local affordable housing needs. It is encouraging to see partners already on site to deliver more social housing and that this is alongside a strong community focus as demonstrated by Magenta Living”.
Construction is now underway, with completion expected by March 2027.