Moving to Port Sunlight

Buying or renting?

Port Sunlight has a mix of ownership. Many houses are lived in by owner occupiers and local estate agents will be able to point you towards properties for sale.

If you are looking to rent, Port Sunlight Village Trust owns around 300 properties in the village. There are no eligibility criteria, although properties are in high demand and there is sometimes a waiting list. You can enquire about renting a property via the Contact page.

Other housing associations with properties available for rent in the village include Sanctuary Housing and Family Housing Association.

Supported accommodation

There are two supported accommodation schemes in the village.

Darcy Court is managed by Sanctuary Housing and provides property to rent, while apartments at Osborne Court are available for purchase.

Buying a heritage property

All of the houses in Port Sunlight Village are Grade 2 listed. This means that they are of special historical and/or architectural interest. A listing is not a preservation order, so your house is not frozen in time. However you must apply for consent to make any changes. For more information about listed buildings, Historic England have some information here. The restrictions in place here may seem overburdensome – but they exist to maintain the look and character of the village for future generations of residents and visitors.

If you buy a house in Port Sunlight, you have a legal responsibility to maintain the structure and fabric to the highest standards, and to make any repairs in keeping with the heritage of the property. This means that for example a rotted window frame should be replaced with a like for like wooden frame, or that a cracked drainpipe must be replaced with a similar cast iron pipe and not with modern plastic. You may need to employ specialist contractors. It is can be a lot more expensive to maintain a listed property than a non-listed one of a similar age. This is something you should think about carefully before you buy. Port Sunlight Village Trust has advisors on hand who would be happy to discuss this with you at any stage if you are considering a purchase.

The listed status of Port Sunlight houses also affects the changes that you can make to your property – such as extensions, conservatories, double glazing or knocking down interior walls – and even the colour of your own front door. Planning permission requirements are more extensive in Port Sunlight – for example satellite dishes are covered by planning regulations here. Our conservation team can support you through the process.

In Port Sunlight, front gardens are also listed and are maintained by Port Sunlight Village Trust.