The successful transformation of a vacant 6.96 hectare site in Knowsley, which saw the delivery of 124 new homes, has almost doubled the social value provided to the local community.

Anwyl Homes Lancashire delivered the Edenhurst Avenue development, which was named Development of the Year in the 2022 Knowsley in Business Awards.

As part of the planning agreement, approved in January 2019, Anwyl became the first developer to sign up to a partnership between Knowsley Council and national social enterprise Fusion21.

The partnership's aim is to ensure that people living in Knowsley benefit from major developments taking place in the area.

Anwyl was set a target of delivering 521 "social value weeks", linked to Edenhurst Grange.

Social value weeks are the number of weeks that a person from the local area (Knowsley) has been employed on the site. The target is used as a benchmark of expectation to ensure that people from the local area are gaining as much opportunity as possible from developments.

Anwyl achieved almost double the target – delivering 1028 "social value weeks".

Managing Director of Anwyl Homes Lancashire, John Grime said: "Edenhurst Grange has made a major contribution to increasing housing options in Knowsley, while helping the local authority meet development requirements and transforming a vacant site. The development has also had a positive impact on the wider area in the form of employment opportunities, community investment, education and support for local good causes. It's a prime example of why housebuilding is so important to the economy and community. We would consider further land opportunities in Knowsley, across the Liverpool City Region and beyond.

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"We recognise the importance of involving local businesses and people in delivering new homes. At Edenhurst Grange we subcontracted four Knowsley businesses and provided employment opportunities for more than dozen people from the borough including plasterers, bricklayers, scaffolders, labourers and joiners."

Helping to inspire future generations to consider a career in the housebuilding industry, Anwyl hosted visits from Malvern Primary School and All Saints Catholic High School. The company also sponsored the PLACED Environmental Academy, a free to access, creative programme about the built environment.

Anwyl's contributions towards ensuring the growth of the neighbourhood included £800,000 for the installation of traffic lights on the Rimmer Avenue/Court Hey Road junction and upgrading of footpaths on Bowring Park Avenue in Roby, plus almost £570,000 to the local authority towards providing affordable housing within the borough.

The homebuilder also made a series of voluntary donations including a £3,300 gift to Knowsley food bank. Home Start Knowsley and Incredible Edible Knowsley each received £1,000 from Anwyl, to help provide food parcels and improve a footpath respectively.

Sarah Maguire, head of social value at Fusion21, said: "We're delighted to have worked alongside Anwyl and Knowsley Council on this extremely successful collaboration which has generated many employment opportunities for local people, provided support to the local community and boosted the local economy.

"The work Fusion21 is doing in Knowsley continues to go from strength to strength. Since we established our partnership with Knowsley Council in 2019, 357 employment opportunities and 22 apprenticeship roles have been created for Knowsley residents, and 71 local businesses have been awarded work on construction sites. In addition, 619 young people from the area have been engaged in careers presentations, work experience placements and construction site visits."

The first homes at Edenhurst Grange were released off plan in April 2019 and the first residents were welcomed to their new homes in November that year. Two show homes – examples of the Farndon and Glyn house types – opened in January 2020.

Anwyl is now preparing to welcome the final residents to the development.

Two hectares of the land at Edenhurst Grange is public open space, including children's play areas featuring innovative EcoTumble flooring created from recycled car tyres.

Around 100 trees have been planted, with bird and bat boxes installed to provide homes for nature within the development.