Avison Young facilitates major affordable housing deal for Cityheart in Widnes
Global real estate advisor, Avison Young, has worked closely with their client Cityheart to source an affordable housing partner for Phase 1 of the regeneration of 20 acres of industrial land.
Cityheart has agreed a deal with housing association Plus Dane Housing for the first phase of the £60m redevelopment at Foundry Lane. Avison Young, acting on behalf of Cityheart, facilitated an agreement that paves the way for the delivery of 63 affordable homes in the initial phase of a 300-home development, catalysing the regeneration of a 20-acre brownfield site.
Foundry Lane was formerly the industrial home of Stobart and Tarmac and is a cornerstone of the wider plans for the regeneration of Halebank, aiming to create a new sustainable residential neighbourhood.
The development is supported by funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Brownfield Land Fund and Homes England’s Affordable Homes Programme.
The deal comes as the UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently announced a £2bn investment into affordable housing in a bid to “sweeten the pill” of the spending cuts announced in the Spring Budget, emphasising the Government’s commitment to speeding up affordable housing delivery.
David Clifton, Director, Land and Development at Avison Young UK, commented:
“We are proud to have played a central role in facilitating this deal, which can now drive forward the regeneration of Foundry Lane, delivering much-needed affordable housing. This development not only addresses local needs but also contributes to the broader regeneration of Halebank.
“Our team’s dedication to finding the right partner to take this site forward, leveraging our expertise and knowledge of the market, has been instrumental in bringing the project to fruition.”
James Litherland, Senior Development Manager at Cityheart, added:
“This partnership represents a significant milestone which has kick-started the regeneration of the Foundry Land masterplan and will deliver much needed affordable housing as part of Phase 1. We’re delighted to be working with Plus Dane and work is already progressing at pace on site".
Cityheart appointed Watson Construction as main contractor for Phase 1.
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Leila Jones
Active Profile
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About Avison Young
Avison Young creates real economic, social, and environmental value as a global real estate advisor, powered by people. As a private company, our clients collaborate with an empowered partner who is invested in their success.
Our integrated talent realizes the full potential of real estate by using global intelligence platforms that provide clients with insights and advantage. Together, we can create healthy, productive workplaces for employees, cities that are centers for prosperity for their citizens, and built spaces and places that create a net benefit to the economy, the environment, and the community.
Avison Young is a 2025 winner of the Canada's Best Managed Companies Platinum Club designation, having retained its Best Managed designation for 14 consecutive years.
About Cityheart
Cityheart transforms places, delivering bold, sustainable regeneration projects that empower communities and create lasting value. Partnering with the public sector across the UK we transform urban spaces into thriving places for future generations to enjoy.
Though we’re a development company at heart, we push boundaries by blending creative thinking with strategic expertise, offering tailored solutions for the unique challenges of both public and private sector projects.
Collaboration and excellence are at the core of our approach. We work closely with our partners to understand their goals and deliver sustainable, cost-effective solutions that maximise value. As an independent company, we have the freedom to innovate, especially in design and funding, ensuring we explore all possibilities to get the best results.
Alongside regeneration of places we also deliver specialist projects in healthcare, justice, extra care, education, and student living, creating spaces that empower and nurture people.
The business has over £750m GDV of regeneration projects across the UK that will see it deliver more than 1700 new homes, 500 affordable homes, 200,000 sqm of commercial and leisure space and two international branded hotels. £250m GDV of this pipeline is fully funded and we are on site delivering projects across the country including Stopford Park in Stockport, Fettlers in Wigan, Foundry Lane in Widnes, Prescot Shopping Centre and Four Waterside and Marefare in Northampton.
Cityheart is now proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025.
For more information visit www.cityheart.co.uk