Plans submitted for 80 social rent homes in Runcorn

Sovini Construction has submitted an application to Halton Council for 80 properties off Brookvale Avenue North.

The new estate would consist of 52 houses with a mix of two and three bed properties, as well as 28 apartments, all positioned on an 8.6-acre patch of greenfield land between Brookvale Avenue North and Stockham Lane.

All of the properties would be classed as ‘affordable’ and made available for social rent. The wider Sovini group brands itself as a ‘social business’ and says it puts its profits back into a range of programmes to ‘drive social, economic and environmental benefits’.

A design and access statement submitted in support, said: “A key component of the scheme is the provision of high-quality private amenity space.

“All houses benefit from private rear gardens, whilst residents of the apartment buildings have access to shared private external amenity areas and extensive public open space incorporated within the wider development.”

The application conceded it would result in a loss of greenfield space but said it would aim to help mitigate the loss with landscaping work.

A variety of new planting is proposed throughout the site, including  trees along Brookvale Avenue North, hedgerows, shrubs planting, grassland and wildflower meadows.

It said: “The proposal will result in the development of a greenfield site and the removal of a number of existing trees and hedgerows.

“However, the submitted arboricultural impact assessment, landscape masterplan and ecological mitigation measures demonstrate that these impacts can be appropriately managed through replacement planting, habitat enhancement and long-term landscape management.”

The design and access statement concluded: “Having regard to the above, the proposal would deliver substantial economic, social and environmental
benefits through the provision of 80 affordable homes on an allocated residential site in a sustainable location.”