Liverpool City Council is to embark on its first major housing scheme in 30 years.
The council’s cabinet this morning approved a report recommending the building of 74 council homes in the Yew Tree ward, in the north of the city
Subject to a grant from Homes England and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the £9m scheme will be the first since the council revamped its housing team in the summer – and 150 years since Liverpool built the first council homes in Europe.
The Denford Road project forms part of a wider council plan to build and retrofit thousands of new homes by 2030 after the Government agreed to waive the debt for the council’s historical housing revenue account.
The project, which gained planning permission in March 2019, will see 20 council homes built and a further 54 homes constructed for “affordable rent”.
The homes will be built on land bordered by Denford Road, Ackers Hall Avenue, Dunchurch Road and Murcote Road.
The scheme is intended to be delivered in partnership with Riverside Housing Association, who will create an additional 31 homes on land they own within the site.
Following cabinet approval, Liverpool City Council will now enter in to a contract with leading Birkenhead-based regeneration specialist Lovell Partnerships, who have a long standing history of successful delivery of high quality affordable and mixed tenure homes in Liverpool. Over the last 20 years they have developed similar schemes in areas such as Kensington and Belle Vale.
Lovell led on the design of the Denford Road development and aim to have a start on site in October 2020, with an anticipated completion date of January 2023.
The site will accommodate 105 homes overall consisting of for 54 two-bedroom units, 28 three-bedroom units, 4 four-bedroom units, 13 one-bed bungalows and 6 two-bedroom bungalows.
Some of the bungalows are to have bespoke designs and will be ring-fenced for vulnerable tenants with mobility issues and support requirements.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “I’m excited by this scheme. It’s a signal of our intent to create thousands of new homes that meet the needs and aspirations of our residents.
“The private rented sector in this city is unbalanced and the absence of council homes has left many families exposed to market forces.
“We have a vision for a Liverpool where the council provides quality affordable homes, to buy and to rent, which caters for all manner of families and individuals and provides a sustainable platform for them to move up the housing ladder.
“This scheme is the beginning of realising that vision. Of course, this requires external grant funding but I’m confident the business case is robust and that Lovell will begin and complete the scheme on schedule.”
Lee Sale, managing director Lovell North West, said: “We are extremely pleased to be working with Liverpool City Council on this project.
“We have been focussing on increasing our footprint within the region and are delighted to be playing a part in shaping communities and delivering much needed affordable homes to the area.
“We are currently working on our joint venture project with Riverside Housing in Belle Vale to deliver over 100 mixed tenure homes and are looking forward to working with the city council and Riverside in Yewtree at Denford Road.”
