Artist impression of Peel Holdings proposed Wirral Waters scheme _320
MORE than £6m of Government cash will help to build more than 26,000 homes across Liverpool and Wirral in the next eight years.
The homes will be part of the ambitious Liverpool and Wirral Waters schemes.
Peel Holdings, the company behind the £10bn plans either side of the Mersey, was part of a joint bid with Wirral and Liverpool councils for a share of more than £31m across the North West.
Last night, Wirral Council’s investment strategy manager, Richard Lewis, said the authorities had worked closely with Peel on the bid for funding through so-called “Growth Points” and this had been key to their success in obtaining the cash.
Under the Growth Points scheme, over the next two years Greater Manchester will receive more than £12.2m, Liverpool and Wirral more than £6.3m and Central Lancashire and Blackpool more than £5.2m.
A further £4m has been awarded to Halton, St Helens and Warrington, and £3.4m to local authorities in West Cheshire.
Liverpool and Wirral’s share – £6.3m over the next two years – is intended to help build 26,460 more homes than previously planned, by 2016.
Mr Lewis said: “This is will provide the infrastructure investment for new roads and transport links and land remediation, as well as buying key pieces of land.
“Although the housing market is very difficult at the moment, this is about planning for the next 20 to 30 years.” Across the UK, 163 local authorities with Growth Point or Growth Area status have signed up to deliver 1.3m new homes by 2016, 30% more than previously planned.
The six areas in the North West were awarded Growth Point status in July this year but had to wait to see what their exact funding would be.
Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said: “In these difficult economic times we must not lose sight of the long-term need to build more homes.”
