Liberty combines with ForViva

Knowsley-based property services firm Liberty Group has joined with Salford-headquartered contractor ForWorks to form an £80m-turnover construction and maintenance company.

Both companies are part of the wider ForViva Group and will now operate under the Liberty brand and will employ around 1,000 staff.

Liberty currently supplies property services including repair and maintenance, gas services and construction projects, and covers around 250,000 homes in the North West.

ForWorks focusses on social housing maintenance, housebuilding and large-scale refurbishment projects and is based out of ForViva’s head office in Weaste, Salford. The company has delivered projects including the 103-home Willows development, also in Weaste, in the past 12 months.

The wider ForViva Group currently owns and manages 24,000 homes in the North West and is currently delivering a development plan including the delivery of more than 1,000 new homes.

Last month the housing association launched a four-year £290m consultancy framework to help support its housing delivery.

Martin Joyce, chair of the Liberty board, said: “We are bringing together a passionate, professional and committed team, that innovate to deliver excellent customer service, value for money and compliance.

“ForWorks expertise in repairs and maintenance and development will further enhance our reputation as the go to people for property services.”

ForViva also includes housing assocations City West Housing Trust and Villages Housing Association, as well as ForLiving, which provides homes for market rent, private sale, and shared ownership.

It also manages 5,500 homes in Ellesmere Port and Neston for Cheshire West & Chester Council, under its ForHousing brand.