Developer DOWLS starts work on £14m ‘sustainable’ Liverpool city region housing scheme that will deliver 19 homes costing between £550,000 and £900,000. Tony McDonough reports
Developer DOWLS has started construction on a two-phase project to build 19 new Liverpool city region homes with price tags of between £550,000 and £900,000.
Located in Tarbock in Knowsley, the scheme is designed around a traditional village green concept and built with “sustainability, natural materials and energy efficiency at the heart of the project”.
Construction has started on phase one, which will deliver 10 homes across two acres, with completion scheduled for October 2026.
Phase Two will introduce a further nine homes across an additional two acres, with construction beginning in June 2026 and completion expected by October 2027.
Homes in the first phase are expected to be priced between £550,000 and £750,000, while homes in the second phase will range from £600,000 to £900,000.
DOWLS said the land itself has undergone significant environmental improvement. The site was previously home to an ink factory. As part of the process historic petrol tanks were safely removed.
The company said: “Environmental considerations have also played a key role in the planning process.
“A bat survey has been completed, and following the completion of phase one a wildflower forest will be planted to support biodiversity and encourage bee populations.”
Phase one of the project is expected to create more than 50 jobs, supporting local trades, contractors and suppliers during the construction process.
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John Robinson founded the venture in 2013 and Andrew Hewitt, David Hewitt and Paddy Connaughton joined him in 2022. Previous work includes the refurbishment of a £3m home on Derby Road in Formby and the construction of two Georgian-style new builds on Freshfields Road in Formby.
DOWLS was recently nominated for Contractor of the Year 2025 and Refurbishment Project of the Year at the NBCA Awards 2025, recognising the company’s commitment to quality construction and design.