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Work is finally under way on a new housing development on Banks Road in West Kirby, following a ten year saga.
Magenta Living originally put forward proposals to develop the site of the former Ashton Court sheltered housing complex in 2016.
But Wirral Council's planning committee rejected three applications to develop the site following objections from local residents opposed to the scale, design and impact on parking.
There were also concerns about the homes being made available for private sale rather than social housing, and the amount of money the developer was putting towards affordable homes on other schemes.
Permission was finally granted by an independent inspector in 2020, and the site was cleared in 2023 in preparation for development.
But then last year, the social housing provider put the land up for auction, telling West Kirby Today they had decided to sell it.
At the time, they said: "By reinvesting the proceeds from the sale of this site, elsewhere in Wirral, we will be able to provide a greater number of high-quality, affordable homes, making a more significant impact on our communities.
"This approach directly supports our goal to build 1,000 new homes across Wirral by 2030."
West Kirby Today understands that the site - which had a guide price of £1.3 - £1.5 million - failed to sell at auction.
Work under way on the site earlier this year
Earlier this year preparatory work started on the site - but despite several approaches from West Kirby Today requesting a formal update, Magenta Living did not confirm details of what was happening.
Now, in their 'Road to 2030' strategy, it has been revealed that they are to develop the site - for a mix of social and private housing built by developer Starship, the company behind new apartments overlooking Sandlea Park on Dee Lane.
The report states: "Sandbank Point in West Kirby will bring fourteen new energy‑efficient homes to the area, offering a mix of two and three‑bedroom homes built to high modern standards.
"Led by Magenta Living and delivered by Wirral‑based Starship, the development uses off‑site construction to reduce waste, cut build time and minimise disruption for neighbours.
"Eight homes will be available for Social Rent and six for Private Rent, providing much‑needed affordable, sustainable options for local people."
The development is scheduled for completion in March 2027.
Photo credit: Magenta Homes
