A £4.4m project to provide nearly 50 new affordable homes has been launched in Ellesmere Port.

The mix of 46 flats and houses has permission on Crescent Road.

Of the homes, nine will be one bed flats, 15 two bed flats and 22 two bed houses.

The development involves Wirral based Magenta Living and contractors Galliford Try, one of the UK's leading housebuilding and construction groups with revenues of £1.5bn.

The homes, all for affordable rent, are Magenta’s first new build development in Ellesmere Port.

They have spent the past decade providing affordable social housing and building communities across Wirral.

Mayor Brian Jones, Ellesmere Port borough councillors Tony Sherlock and Justin Madders (Lab), the borough’s growth and innovation chief Cllr Lynda Jones (Con) and Magenta Living’s chief executive Brian Simpson attended the event.

Two pupils from Westminster Primary School who won the competition to design the site hoardings were also there to help with the ceremonial bricklaying.

Mr Simpson said: “Launching our flagship development at Crescent Road marks the start of a new era for Magenta Living.

“Being able to extend our affordable housing offering within an area needing investment is great.

“We’d like to thank the Homes & Communities Agency and Galliford Try for helping our vision become a reality.”

Planning permission for the homes was secured by Galliford Try, the company’s second affordable housing scheme in the town along with funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) affordable homes programme.

Darren Leary, development director at Galliford Try, commented: “This project has got off the ground through Galliford Try’s own direct funding allocation from the HCA in the current affordable homes programme.

“We are very pleased to be bringing this scheme forward in conjunction with Magenta Living as this will be their first development in Ellesmere Port and our first in partnership with Magenta.

“We look forward to delivering high quality homes for them and their residents.”

The scheme is due to be completed next spring.

Magenta Living’s second scheme in the town at Sutton Way is also underway.