First Foundations contract goes to Lovell

Foundations, which is billed as Liverpool City Council’s ethical housing company, has appointed a contractor to build the first homes for its major new-build programme.

Based in Birkenhead, Lovell Partnerships has a long track record of working with councils, and subject to planning will deliver a £14m scheme of 100-plus homes in Yew Tree, North Liverpool, on vacant land close to Queens Drive previously occupied by council housing.

Foundations is a flagship policy for Mayor Joe Anderson, being established with the target of delivering 10,000 homes in a £500m investment over a decade.

The organisation was established in January, with Anderson declaring his intention to rebalance the city’s social housing stock, revolutionise the rent-to-buy sector in the city and drive up council tax receipts for the council. Within its remit are properties for the homeless, foster carers, large families, the elderly and people with a disability.

Chairman Frank Hont 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.”

Cllr Lynnie Hinnigan, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “Foundations is fundamental to addressing the city’s need to develop 30,000 new homes by 2030 and sustaining 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.”

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Yew Tree close to Queens Drive only if your definition of close is about a mile away.

By Liverpoolbod

What skews the city borough’s council tax revenues isn’t the size or style of housing, but whether the people living in the houses have access and ability to take up quality education and jobs, see every point in striving, and are given the positive leadership that encourages them to do so.

Terraced houses in improving cities are being snapped up as desirable properties. Given the logic behind the council tax issue, what can we interpret from the above other than the existing terraced communities like Kensington and Wavertree being ignored, with an expectation that council tax paying people will move in to newbuild suburbs in the borough (hopefully not built on parkland).

Given the way the city’s previous key expanding council tax area (the city centre) has been treated over the past few years, and given the city’s inward investment levels are now below Barnsley’s and Warrington’s (source EY) coming in at 17th nationally, hope of a flood of council tax paying philanthropists moving in to provide cash to spend on rooftop gardens, pavements and road narrowing (think I’ve covered everything?) would seem a bit desperate, or fanciful, or both. Especially I’m sure after this coming Wednesday.

By Mike

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