Liverpool to manage first council homes in 30 years

Housing provider Onward Homes has completed its move to the Watson Building in Liverpool’s Renshaw Street, a scheme delivered by Brown & Bancroft to designs by 5Plus.

The city council’s quest to put an end to its issues around development funded by fractional investment takes its next step on Friday, with the cabinet asked to endorse changes including ramping up financial due diligence and restricting the release of council sites.

The developer, part of ForViva Group, is building a residential scheme of 24 affordable homes in Knowsley, expected to form the first of a two-phase project.

The city council hopes to launch a new licensing scheme after the Government decided not to renew the previous initiative and has published a report it says provides “irrefutable proof” of the current scheme’s success. 

The city council is ramping up efforts to introduce restrictions on unregulated short-term lets with a motion that, if passed, would see the council call on Government to create a separate use class.

The future of offices and a look at developments in Greater Manchester and Liverpool are among the topics under scrutiny at Place conferences in September.

Consultancy Mosaic Town Planning has submitted an application for a 77-unit facility to Knowsley Council on behalf of developer Vistry Partnerships.

Affordable homes provider and developer Torus has unveiled plans to regenerate two acres of former industrial land close to Liverpool’s Stanley Dock in a 210-home, £30m project. 

The city council is creating a strategic board to lead on the delivery of council housing and other stock, significantly scaling back the role of arms length management organisation Liverpool Foundation Homes.