EQUANS secures £35m contract to deliver 268 sustainable Cheshire homes
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August 12, 2021
EQUANS, the services-led activities branch of French multinational electric company ENGIE, has secured a £35m contract to deliver a sustainable new housing development in Winsford, Cheshire.
EQUANS will deliver a mixed tenure scheme of 268 homes, as part of a wider partnership that includes QWEST, Cheshire West and Chester Council and the Riverside Group.
Homes will be available for open market sale, shared ownership, and affordable rent.
The consortium has secured Homes England Accelerated Construction Funding to deliver the project. The £450million Local Authority Accelerated Construction (LAAC) programme was launched to help unlock public land and increase the speed of delivery on local authority housing schemes across England.
EQUANS has also worked alongside environmental assessors to progress an energy strategy that includes the use of enhanced building fabrics, highly efficient heating systems and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels across every plot.
Additional ecological enhancements will also be incorporated into the scheme, which commenced in August 2021, and these include the creation of new ponds and seven new grass playing pitches for the community, as well as a new footpath that will link to wider areas of Winsford.
Tim Wood, Regional Managing Director at EQUANS UK & Ireland (North West), said: “We’re delighted to be working with key partners to deliver this innovative housing scheme, creating a new, low carbon neighbourhood for the Cheshire community.
“Sustainability and modern construction methods are at the core of this scheme and the heart of our business strategy – as we look to support our partners embrace the energy transition we face and work towards a net zero carbon future.”
Ben Cummins, Managing Director at QWEST, said: “QWEST is proud to deliver new affordable homes to the area, bringing both our shareholder’s skills to bear as we continue on our journey towards net carbon zero. This is the second scheme for QWEST homes, and we will continue to ensure local supply chain and employment are key drivers in this and future schemes.”
