A former biscuit factory on Merseyside is to be demolished and replaced with hundreds of homes.
The Burton's Biscuits site in Moreton, Wirral, will become 'Jellicoe Gardens', and consist of 257 homes ranging from two-bed semis to four-bed detached.
Avison Young announced on Monday it had advised on the successful completion of the land sale to Bellway, and demolition work at the site has begun.
The site was previously home to Burton's - the multinational firm that manufactures Wagon Wheels and Jammie Dodgers - which closed the Wirral factory back in 2011.
According to Avison Young, 231 of the homes will be for private sale, with 26 set to be 'affordable'.
Claire Robinson, associate director at Avison Young, said: “The total site area extends to 24 acres and the houses that will be delivered on this brownfield site will help to address the shortage of new residential development in Wirral in a well-connected location, just 20 minutes outside of Liverpool.
“It is encouraging that quality national housebuilders such as Bellway remain active and committed to sites such as this in Moreton as it will be an important step in the economy’s recovery following the Covid 19 restrictions.”
Named after Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, the scheme will also restore and preserve an existing water feature designed by the renowned landscape architect.
Burton’s axed hundreds of jobs at its Pasture Road site in 2011, bringing more than 60 years of biscuit manufacture there to an end, with various plans subsequently put forward for redevelopment.
James McGivern, senior land manager at Bellway, said: “We are delighted to have acquired the site and to be able to progress plans to cater for a wide variety of prospective home owners, from first time buyers to families, from Moreton and the surrounding areas.
“As well as delivering 26 affordable dwellings as part of the Jellicoe Gardens scheme, Bellway will also pay £347,940 via a Section 106 agreement to improve the local ecology, provide football pitches and highways in the local area, as well as lift access improvements to the adjacent Moreton train station so that benefits can be felt throughout the community.”
