A social housing project in Wirral that offers spectacular views across to Liverpool waterfront welcomes its first residents. Tony McDonough reports
A Wirral waterfront social housing project has welcomed its first residents.
Housing association Onward Homes has completed the 28 apartments next to Seacombe Ferry terminal in Wallasey. Designed by DK Architects and built by contractor Kingsmead Homes, some of the apartments offer spectacular views across to Liverpool waterfront.
All 28 apartments at Ferry Court have been made available to local people through social rent. The four-storey scheme offers a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments. Landscaping and undercroft parking have also been included.
Funding for Ferry Court has been delivered through Onward’s strategic partnership with Homes England, which will help the housing association build 5,000 new homes by 2030.
Onward already owns or manages around 1,600 homes across the Wirral, and a total of 35,000 across Merseyside, Lancashire, Manchester and Cheshire.
Elsewhere inWirral, Onward has started work on 13 carbon zero homes at Greenleas Close with modular housebuilder Starship Group. And a new partnership with Lovell will see 66 affordable homes built on the former site of Foxfield Primary School.
Stephen Heverin, director of growth and regeneration at Onward, said:“Ferry Court is a really striking building in a prime Wirral location, with fantastic views on offer to residents.
“As an organisation committed to spending our northern pound more effectively, it’s satisfying to complete yet another project with local contractor Kingsmead Homes. Our local partners have a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise.”
Wirral Council also provided funding through its Better Care Fund, which has enabled the installation of accessibility features such as level access, widened doorways and wet rooms.
Onward has worked with Sefton-based SME housebuilder Kingsmead Homes for more than 16 years, on a range of affordable housing developments across the Liverpool city region.
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Craig McKibbin, managing director at Kingsmead Homes, said: “We are all really proud to have been a part of this high quality scheme at Seacombe Ferry river front, delivering homes for social rent on behalf of Onward.
“We are sure this will become an iconic building to the thousands of visitors who board the ferry across the Mersey each year.”