The first set of five housing sites has been agreed for Liverpool as part of an overall plan to develop 1,500 new homes in the city and to rescue another 1,000 from disuse.
In 2013, Liverpool City Council began to search for developers and signed in a consortium consisting of Ewloe-based Redrow Homes, Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH) and the builidng contractor Wilmott Dixon.
Between them, Redrow Homes and LMH will build 1,500 new homes, with LMH bringing the additional 1,000 into use. This partnership is planned to run for the next five years.
Liverpool council is selling off land and empty homes that were acquired as part of the failed Pathefinder housing market renewal scheme. Partners will put in their own funding and any returns generated by the sale of council assets will be reinvested back into the partnership.
It is thought that these first five sites as part of the initiative will produce 200 new and refurbished properties comprisng:
- Watergate School in Woolton (site of the former Sunflower Centre) – 25 houses for owner occupied market sales.
- Part of the original Holly Lodge School in West Derby – 70 houses/apartments for owner occupied market sales and refurbished Grade II lodges with wildlife features preserved.
- Leighton Dene Day Care Centre in Norris Green – more than 20 properties for affordable rent.
- Marwood Tower in Everton – around 60 units refurbished for over 55s and more than 20 new apartments for affordable rent.
- Normanton Avenue in St Michael’s – around eight self-contained apartments for affordable rent.
Assitant mayor and cabinet member for housing, councillor Ann O’Byrne, said:
“This is just the start of a five-year programme which will deliver new and refurbished properties across the city, offering a greater range and quality of homes for our residents. This new partnership is playing a major part in the on-going transformation of housing, and build on the fantastic momentum we’ve created in recent years.”
Words: Peter Cribley