More than 200 new affordable homes will be built at two brownfield sites in Liverpool city region thanks to £3.15m of cash from the Government’s Brownfield Land Fund. Tony McDonough reports
Work is to start on two Liverpool city region projects that will see the construction of more than 200 new homes on Brownfield sites.
Sandway Homes, the Sefton Council-owned housing development vehicle, has secured £3.15m from the Government’s Brownfield Land Fund via Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
It will support the development of 150 new homes at Bentham’s Way in Southport and 63 new homes on the former site of Bootle High School. This adds to funding already secured for a third scheme in Netherton.
In July, the Government’s Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities allocated £45m to the Combined Authority from its Brownfield Land Fund, which is designed to support the remediation of sites for development.
Remediation involves detecting and safely eradicating any hazards or contamination from sites that have previously had industrial or other uses. Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities said: This confirmation of the funding by the Combined Authority is great news for Sefton.
“After negotiations with our partners, we are now in a position to ensure that Sefton continues to maximise access to funding to release further brownfield housing sites for delivery.
“I look forward to seeing the updated second phase of Sandway’s business plan for the development of these sites in the coming months, alongside the delivery of the 141 homes as part of phase 1.”
The Combined Authority has already awarded £1.05m of Brownfield Land Funding to Sandway’s phase 1 development at Sefton Grange in Netherton. Located near Buckley Hill Lane, this new development will transform the former Z Block site and provide 18 apartments and 55 two, three and four-bed homes.
Following Sefton Council Cabinet approval of the disposal of three new sites for development, Sandway submitted the further application for this second round of Brownfield Land Funding for the Southport and Bootle High School sites.
Louise Davies, managing director of Sandway Homes, added: “Targeting challenging brownfield sites for development, in locations where new homes are in high demand is an important part of Sandway’s business model, which complements other schemes being delivered across the borough.
“Our successful applications for this Brownfield Land Fund support announced today means we will be able to progress these further sites and provide more local people with the affordable, high-quality homes they want.”
Subject to approval by the Combined Authority and further business case approval by Sefton Council, these two sites together with a third will bring the total number of houses to be delivered by Sandway as part of its phase 2 plans to in the region of 350 new homes.