Anwyl acquires chunk of Port Sunlight for homes 

Part of Unilever’s research and development site off Quarry Road East would be knocked down and replaced with 125 homes, under plans submitted to Wirral Council. 

Anwyl Construction Company has drawn up proposals for the redevelopment of the eight-acre site, part of Port Sunlight’s R&D complex. 

The developer is seeking permission to build a mix of one- to four-bedroom houses and apartments on the plot, allocated for housing under Wirral’s emerging local plan. 

A planning statement by Avison Young states that the part of the Port Sunlight R&D complex known as the Product Science Centre is surplus to requirements. 

“Significant investment would be required in the structure and fabric of the building to bring it up to required standards for future operational use and the building layout does not lend itself to modern office or research functions,” the statement said. 

Among the buildings to be knocked down is the 230,000 sq ft office and lab facility used for developing products and prototypes, as well as microbiology trials. 

The two other buildings that make up Port Sunlight’s R&D complex are the Manufacturing Technology Centre and the recently constructed Advanced Manufacturing Centre. Neither is impacted by Anwyl’s plans. 

MK Associates is advising Anwyl on the design of the project. 

“Subject to planning, we’ve agreed with Unilever to purchase part of its Research and Development site, adjacent to Quarry Road East and part of St Andrew’s Road, in Bebington,” said Mathew Tudor Owen, senior land manager at Anwyl Homes.

“Information about our plans to provide new homes was shared with local residents prior to our planning application being submitted to Wirral Council.

“Under the proposals, we intend to create 125 new homes ranging from one-bedroom properties to four-bedroom family homes in a mix of tenures to meet local need. We plan to retain existing woodland and create facilities including a play area and cycle path as part of our development proposals.”

To learn more about the project, search for reference number APP/22/01759 on Wirral Council’s planning portal.