The joint venture between Pension Insurance Corporation, Muse and Homes England wants to build two apartment blocks rising to eight and 10 storeys on Charterhall Drive, close to Chester railway station.

The scheme will deliver 342 one and two-bedroom affordable flats on land within the £120m City Place masterplan that had previously been earmarked for offices.

Designed by Shedkm, the project aims to transform a brownfield site on the former Chester leadworks into a low-car residential quarter centred around new public green space.

The Habiko joint venture was established in 2024 with ambitions to deliver 3,000 affordable homes over the next 12 years in high-demand locations across England.

Last month Habiko cleared planning for its first project, a 240-flat development in Warrington town centre. Work of this twin six-storey project is expected to start next year.

Consented Warrington Academy Way project designed by AHR

Ella Woodward, development manager at Habiko, said: “This is an important milestone in our journey to deliver 3,000 affordable, sustainable homes, and our plans have been shaped and refined over a period of many months to bring forward a proposal for Charterhall Drive that works for everybody.”

She added: “By delivering high-quality, affordable homes, we are helping to meet the diverse needs of local residents and the wider community.”