Affordable housing provider Torus breaks ground on a £52m scheme to provide 195 homes in north Liverpool. Tony McDonough reports
Contractor Eric Wright has started work on a £52m development on Liverpool’s northern docklands that will see the construction of 195 affordable homes.
In November 2021, affordable housing provider Torus secured planning consent for the scheme in Lightbody Street, off Great Howard Street. Close to Stanley Dock and the Leeds-Liverpool Canal it will see 185 apartments and 10 townhouses.
It will offer one, two and three-bedroom properties available via Rent to Buy. The project will also create 7,750 sq ft of commercial space. These will be split between new units on the ground floor of the building and the site’s disused railway arches.
Torus chief executive Steve Coffey said: “Lightbody Street is the first residential development of its kind in this part of the city. It will provide genuinely affordable housing options in a central location. I am proud that Torus is leading the way in regenerating a part of the city that has been overlooked.
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“I, for one, can’t wait to see the development complete and to see future households and businesses become part of this growth opportunity so close to Liverpool Waters. It is great to see the combined efforts of Homes England and the LCR Combined Authority as they invest in this scheme alongside Torus to make it happen.”
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is investing £3m into the development from its £60m Brownfield Land Fund. This is being used for site remediation and other measures required to make previously developed sites ready for development.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram added: “Everyone in our region should be able to access a good quality, affordable home. Developments such as this are an investment in all our futures. They help families to realise their home ownership ambitions and give a big boost to local businesses.
“By targeting brownfield sites, we’re transforming once-forgotten areas back into thriving communities. And we are protecting our precious green spaces too. This is an area that has been crying out for investment for decades.
“It’s so encouraging to see investors staking a claim in its revival, helping local residents to lay down roots in an area that promises to have a really exciting future ahead of it.”