MORE than 300 empty homes across the city could be brought back into use as Liverpool City Council reveals how it will spend more than £14 million in Government funding.
A report will be presented to the Council’s Cabinet on Friday 25 January, setting out how the city will use the money – from the Government’s “Clusters of Empty Homes Fund” - to revitalise 306 properties.
Liverpool has identified the following areas as priorities, with the £14 million investment broken down as follows:
Anfield Village – £10m; 156 empty homes brought back into use
South Liverpool - £1.04m; 73 empty homes brought back into use
Kelvin Grove/Welsh Streets - £2m; 32 empty homes brought back into use.
Councillor Ann O'ByrneLiverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, Councillor Ann O’Byrne, said: "These plans will accelerate housing renewal in the city, providing modern, affordable homes which people want to live in. They will help revitalise our neighbourhoods and support our plans to bring 1,000 vacant homes back into use over the next three years.
“Housing plans for Anfield Village, the Welsh Streets and other areas of the city are progressing well and the allocation of this funding means we can continue to drive forward with the plans, delivering long overdue housing improvements in the areas which need it most.
“We are consulting with residents at every step of the way and we will continue to work closely with them as these plans become reality.”
Work is now under way on the £36 million Anfield Village and Rockfield housing schemes. A total of 562 properties previously earmarked for demolition - 156 of which are vacant – are to retained and refurbished, the council says.
Rent
£10 million from the Clusters of Empty Homes Fund has been allocated to the scheme, with the remainder coming from the city council and registered providers owning properties in the area - predominantly Your Housing Group.
There are also plans to bring 45 empty properties back into use in Tuebrook and Stoneycroft. Liverpool Mutual Homes will purchase and refurbish the vacant properties and says it will offer them for affordable rent. Just over £979,000 has been allocated to this scheme.
And in South Liverpool, the city council has announced it will work with Plus Dane to refurbish 105 houses, to create a combined mix of affordable and market rent properties. As part of this, 37 terraced houses in the Welsh Streets which had previously been earmarked for demolition will be rebuilt - including 9 Madryn Street, the childhood home of Ringo Starr. A total over just over £3 million has been allocated to south Liverpool.
Liverpool’s funding forms the lion’s share of £16.5m awarded to the Merseyside councils by the Government.
The remainder, over £2.5 million, has been allocated for projects in Sefton, Wirral and Knowsley.
