It seems increasingly likely that Smithdown Road could be “reinvigorated” due to a scheme which will see homes and shops sold for £1, breathing life back into the area and boosting the community.
Rundown areas off Smithdown Road in Wavertree will be the latest to benefit from the council initiative; allowing residents to buy derelict homes for a knockdown price.
The council’s cabinet committee has now approved the plans to see 150 terraced homes in the area sold on for £1.
The homes targeted in the scheme are in and around Britannia Avenue, Altcar Avenue, Childwall Avenue, Dorset Avenue, Bird Street, Richardson Street, Garrick Street, Tunstall Street and Webster Road.
A ‘shops for £1’ scheme is also set to be introduced – which will see units on Smithdown Road sold or leased to businesses, so they can invest in them and bring them back into use.
Cllr Ann O’Byrne, cabinet member for housing, said the schemes, along with the new Archbishop Blanch school being built in the area, would be a boost for residents.
She said:
“With the new school and the way the high street is being invigorated, with the homes for a pound scheme as well, this will all actually invigorate the community long term.”
She said the council had “learnt so much” about working with other agencies after introducing the scheme in Granby, adding:
“We can drive this forward. It’s a great initiative.”
Existing businesses around Smithdown Road are planning to hold a street party next month to promote the area.
The event, which will be held on the bank holiday weekend of May 2-4, will be the first street party held there for 50 years.
The 150 properties are set to be split into five phases, which will be put on sale in sequence.
People who live and work in Liverpool will be eligible to buy the houses for £1 – on the condition that they bring them up to decent homes standard and do not sell them for five years.
This scheme follows on from the success of a pilot initiative in Granby, where 20 derelict homes were sold off to first-time buyers.