Developer Anwyl Homes completes purchase of Wirral Unilever site and will build 127 new homes with the scheme paying tribute to a five-times Wimbledon tennis champion. Tony McDonough reports

Cameron Jones of Unilever, left, and Phil Dolan of Anwyl Homes at the Bebington site

Anwyl Homes has completed the purchase of part of the Unilever R&D site in Bebington where it will build 127 new homes.

LBN revealed in August that Anwyl had secured consent for the scheme from Wirral Council in a delegated decision. Anwyl first applied for planning permission in 2022.

Consumer products giant Unilever first put the nine-acre plot up for sale in 2020. It forms part of the company’s R&D facility on Quarry Road East which is separated from its Port Sunlight factory complex by a road and a railway line.

Hundreds of scientists and support staff are employed at the site, part of which will be demolished to make way for the new homes. One of the buildings to be demolished includes a 230,000 sq ft office and laboratory facility.

However, other buildings in the complex, including the Manufacturing Technology Centre and the recently built Advanced Manufacturing Centre, are not affected by the sale. Unilever will use proceeds from the sale, which were undisclosed.

As part of the planning agreement, the local community will benefit from around £677,000 of contributions, including more than £330,000 to enhance public open space and play provision in the neighbourhood.

Work has started on the redevelopment to clear the site to make way for the new homes. They will comprise a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom designs, including 25 affordable properties. Affordable means no more than 80% of local market rate.

This development will be called Lottie Gardens, in tribute to Bebington-born sportswoman Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Dod (1871 to 1960) a celebrated five-time Wimbledon tennis champion, Olympic silver medal-winning archer and national golf champion.

There is a blue plaque commemorating Lottie on a gate in nearby Church Road which leads to a private care home adjacent to the Unilever site.

Phil Dolan, chief operating officer for Anwyl, said: “We’re excited to bring forward this brownfield site for redevelopment to provide much-needed market and affordable homes in a sustainable location.

“We’ve carefully designed our homes to ensure they are in keeping with the character of the surrounding community, while boasting high levels of energy efficiency, with top specification insulation and solar panels.

“We’ll also be retaining the woodland on site and creating a new footpath link to St Andrews Road.”

Plaque on Church Road in Bebington commemorating five-times Wimbledon champion Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Dod. Picture by Tony McDonough

Under the planning consent’s section 106 agreement, Anwyl will make community contributions totalling £677,000. 

The majority of the £330,000 public open space contribution will go towards upgrades at the nearby Mayer Park play area including biodiversity enhancements and tree planting.

Funds from Anwyl will also be directed by Wirral Council towards improvements at Dibbins Hey play area. Almost £150,000 will be used to improve playing pitches and facilities at Higher Bebington Playing Fields.

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Around £35,000 will be spent on upgrades at Bebington Oval Leisure Centre. Other contributions include £60,000 to upgrade a subway and £50,000 towards new traffic signals.

The venture in Bebington is the developer’s first project in Wirral to deliver private sale homes. Anwyl hopes to launch sales at Lottie Gardens in spring / summer 2025.