Gleeson Homes has been granted planning permission to build 57 new homes off Lowmoor Road, in Wigton, Cumbria.

The development, which will be known as Chimes Bank, will see the 5.12 site be transformed into beautiful, high quality, low cost 2, 3 and 4 bedroom semi-detached and detached homes.

With house prices on the development anticipated to start from just under £112,000 for a 2 bedroom home combined with various purchasing schemes, such as the Government’s Help to Buy: Equity Loan, Gleeson expects these homes to be highly desirable, especially among first-time buyers and young families.

Construction at Chimes Bank will begin in Spring this year, with the development’s first releases expected in the Summer.  Two show homes will open late Autumn and the first homeowners moving in by the end of the year.

As part of the Section 106 agreement, Gleeson will be paying £11,092 towards upgrading the existing children’s play area at Vulcan Park, £4,500 toward extending the 30mph zone and providing a gateway feature to the town.

Furthermore, Gleeson will be providing six ‘Affordable Homes’ at 80% open market value which will be ring fenced specifically for first-time buyers from the local area.

The development has been specially designed to encourage people to leave their cars at home and walk more by creating a footpath that runs all the way through the development into the town centre as well as planting an attractive tree lined road into the site that will provide an impressive entrance for our customers and their visitors.

Gleeson will also be planting extensive native hedges around the site to promote biodiversity and will be creating an eco-friendly and sustainable drainage area in order to attract an abundance of wildlife.

Kirk Thompson, Operations Director at Gleeson said:

“We are thrilled to be commencing work in Wigton. We are committed to ensuring that the housing market better serves young first time buyers and families on low to average incomes and with several buying schemes to be made available at Chimes Bank, homeownership will become a reality for many.

We are looking forward to working with the local community and we will be looking to employ a 65 strong workforce that mainly comprises of local labour, including apprentices, and contractors.”

Gleeson has had great planning success within the Allerdale District, with its future developments Calluna Grange Broughton Moor, The Rowans Workington and Barley Meadows Abbeytown, all set to launch in 2022 with more developments to come.

Gleeson is seeking local labour and sub-contractors to work on Chimes Bank, including applications from local young people who are interested in joining the Gleeson apprenticeship scheme.