Building boom set to keep up the pace

Sep 21 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

In the fifth and final part of our series of special reports on the region’s property market, David Bartlett looks at future residential developments

LIVERPOOL is seeing the highest level of home building since the 1970s, and the signs are it is set to continue the pace for the next decade, experts said last night.

However, unlike 30 years ago when construction was dominated by council builds, 84% of the 8,316 new homes between 2002 and 2006 have been built for the private sector.

What is more encouraging, say city officials, is that 98% of schemes have been built on brown-field sites.

City projections are that between 30,000 and 45,000 homes will be built by 2016.

During that time, about 14,400 homes will be demolished, many in the housing market renewal initiative (HMRI) areas under the New Heartlands scheme.

It means that there will be a net addition of between 15,000 and 30,000 homes which should help alleviate the under-supply of homes that has contributed to the slowdown in the market reported earlier this week by the Daily Post.

“As a city, we can be mighty pleased about what is happening on the housing front. I think we’re doing very well indeed,” said Cllr Mike Storey, Lib-Dem executive member for regeneration on the council.

“There’s a real need to ensure affordable housing is built. It’s all about balance, and I think we’re getting there,” he added. Cllr Joe Anderson, leader of the city’s Labour group, last night said: “There’s absolutely no doubt that if we are having an influx of people coming to the city or people coming back to the city, then this is a wonderful thing.”

He said it was important that the mix was right and that social housing was included so low- income families had somewhere to live.

There are a number of large schemes which are about to start or are under way currently.

One of the largest is the new £150m district centre called Project Jennifer, around Great Homer Street, Everton.

Developers Braidwater has already started work on Poets’ Park housing estate as part of the project, and it is being promoted as the new city suburb.

The first phase of Poets’ Park is due for completion next spring. It will eventually have 114 homes.

Braidwater hopes the new city suburb will prove popular with buyers wanting a new home near the city centre.

Once finished, the whole of Project Jennifer will include a 115,000sq ft superstore, likely to be Tesco, 80,000sq ft of shops, 480 homes, a new library and leisure facilities, and a public transport interchange.

The Kings Dock area will also see massive expansion in coming years, with outline planning permission already in place for 1,800 homes.

Work has already started on a scheme for 96 affordable apartments that will be offered on a shared equity basis.

Developers David McLean and City Lofts are also due to start later this year a three-year programme to build 390 apart- ments, and a 22-storey tower will be included.

Garston, in south Liverpool, has also seen a lot of development in the past few years. In January, 2006, developer Redrow started work on a scheme to build 300-plus homes.

More than 60 have already been completed and 250 are due for completion by summer, 2009.

Chris Aiken, sales director for Redrow, said: “The Garston area of Liverpool is now seeing a wealth of regeneration, and Redrow’s decision to build there was taken due to the wide range of facilities the area had to offer.”

davidbartlett