L&Q starts Delamere and Winsford housebuilding after Lane End collapse

Lane End Developments, based on Stockport Road in Thelwall, entered administration in April last year while owing almost £12million to creditors.

The firm, which built more than 1,100 homes in the north west and was believed to employ around 100 members of staff, was midway through a series of projects at the time.

Two of these were Cheshire developments at Earlsbrook and Weaver Meadows, but work has now resumed after housing association and developer L&Q took over the sites.

Having been placed on hold last year due to Lane End’s insolvency, L&Q will be delivering the homes under its in-house construction arm following an ‘extensive design and technical review’.

Earlsbrook is a development of 166 homes in Delamere, built on the site of the former Marley Tile factory, with 114 homes already occupied and 52 in various levels of construction.

Work to be undertaken includes earthworks, public open space, drainage, roads and the completion of the remaining properties.

Work has already started with the removal of 50,000 cubic metres of earth, which L&Q says is ‘essential in delivering the public open space and children’s play area for residents to enjoy’.

The other development where construction was temporarily halted is Weaver Meadows in Winsford.

The scheme consists of 215 two-to-five-bedroom homes, 98 of which are currently occupied, with the remaining 117 homes to be delivered in-house by L&Q.

Work at Weaver Meadows is also set to start this autumn, including site clearance and landscaping as a first phase of construction, followed by rebuilding the remaining homes, as well as the delivery of roads and sewers.

The former Lane End Developments HQ in Thelwall. Picture: Google Maps

L&Q has already built a new playground on site earlier this summer, featuring colourful play equipment including swings, balance beams, a roundabout and a net climber, as well as new flowering shrubs and trees.

Adam Simpson, development and project management director at L&Q, said: “Our mission is to deliver homes and communities that everyone can be proud of.

“Our size and financial stability, as one of the few housing associations with an in-house construction arm, has allowed us to step in and take over works at Earlsbrook and Weaver Meadows.

“Our sector has been faced with many challenges lately, including recent supply chain failures, but we are very pleased to be able to deliver on our commitment to residents and the community.”

Lane End, which previously delivered a huge £16.3million scheme to build 100 homes on Academy Way, formerly Kwik Save, in Warrington town centre, had a turnover of more than £81million during the year to May 2022.

However, the impact of the Covid pandemic and lockdowns was of great detriment to the business.

Administrators said: “In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns led to significant delays on a number of projects as building sites were subjected to closures.

“Further lockdowns throughout 2020 and 2021 affected the reopening and development of the sites.

“In addition to the closure of building sites, the lockdowns also caused significant difficulties in the supply of necessary building products.

“In addition to the deteriorating general economic conditions, delays and supply chain issues led to significant cost increases in raw materials across the industry.

“These cost increases and delays rendered many of the pre-pandemic contractual terms contained within the build contracts as unprofitable and unviable.”