Lovell has been contracted to build a £14m development of 100 new homes. It is the first contract to be awarded in what is planned to be a 10-year, £500m programme to create 10,000 homes for the council.
Subject to planning consent, the initial development will be a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes on land off Ackers Hall Avenue in Yew Tree, north Liverpool. The empty site was previously occupied by a city council housing estate.
Foundations, established in January, is the mayor of Liverpool’s flagship housing policy to rebalance the city’s social housing stock. Other schemes are being devised that will involve other contractors and developers.
Frank Hont, chair of Foundations, said: “I’m delighted we have appointed Lovell to deliver our very first Foundations scheme – this is a symbolic moment for what will become a landmark programme. Lovell have a great track record in delivering accessible homes which is fundamental to our ambitions.”
A key aim of Foundations is to future proof the city’s housing market for an ageing population, ensuring people can live independently for longer and provide intermediary accommodation that help keeps people out of long-term hospital stays. It will also help reduce properties becoming void and reduce the chances of properties being converted into inappropriate Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
Lynnie Hinnigan, Liverpool City Council cabinet member for housing, said: “Foundations is fundamental to addressing the city’s need to develop 30,000 new homes by 2030 and our economic future. The city’s housing supply is dominated by small terraced houses, which skews the city’s council tax revenues and provides a very poor choice and housing experience for our residents. We’re fully committed to making this a success and I can’t wait to seeing the first homes materialise and the first families moving in to Ackers Hall Avenue.”
The planning application is set to be submitted in August with the Lovell construction team aiming to start work on the proposed development by the end of this year.
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