A new project to build 131 affordable homes in Merseyside is to be undertaken by Liverpool construction firm HMS. Tony McDonough reports
Construction firm HMS is set to start work on a £23m housing project in Huyton in Knowsley.
HMS will build the 131 two, three and four-bedroom homes on a disused part-brownfield site at the front of Knowsley Lane and Astley Road in Huyton for its parent company, affordable housing provider Torus.
This is the second significant investment Torus has made in Knowsley in the past two years following the group’s RICS award-winning £25m Maples development, which introduced an independent living complex for over 55s, supported living bungalows and affordable family homes to Kirkby.
Designed by architects at Bowker Sadler, the homes will provide local people with an affordable way to step onto the property ladder through the Rent to Buy scheme.
The 131-unit project will be Liverpool-based HMS’s largest to date and builds on the organisation’s completion of award-winning projects such as the restoration of the Grade ll-listed Tobacco Factory, Ogden’s, in Everton and Notre Dame – its landmark scheme in Walton, Liverpool.
Due to complete in 2023, the development contributes to HMS’s growth plans and goal of building 200 homes a year by 2020/21. Upscaling not only its construction activity, but investment in local communities, as all commercial profits generated from this development will be reinvested in meaningful social projects.
HMS construction director, John Barrow, said: “In recent years, we have actively been focusing on growing our construction activities and have already completed a number of high-profile projects across the North West.
“Growing both the size and scale of our construction activities has prepared us to undertake this latest build and along with the increase in activity, comes an uplift in our financial and social investment in Huyton’s local community.
“As an organisation, we reinvest 100% of our commercial profits into social projects and with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 seeing a decline in employment opportunities across the region, we will actively create training opportunities on site to support the regeneration and growth of the local economy.”
Steve Alcock, director of development and sales and Torus, added: “As a group, Torus is committed to investing into the growth of communities across the North West and working with contractor partners that share that those values.”