Liverpool seeks partner for 2,500 new homes
Liverpool City Council is seeking a housing development partner to deliver 1,500 new homes and bring a further 1,000 properties back into use.
The Liverpool Strategic Housing Delivery Partnership will run between 2014 and 2019, providing the winning bidder with multi-million pound development opportunities, access to council-owned land and "speedy" access to planning and legal services.
The council's appointed partner will also have the "flexibility to tell the council where and when it should build and refurbish properties, citywide".
Mayor Joe Anderson is hosting a bidders event at Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre on Monday 1 July to give public and private sector organisations the chance to learn more about the plans and find out about the bidding process.
The partnership will support the mayor's pledge to deliver thousands of new and refurbished homes over the next three years.
Cllr Anderson said: "I promised to build 5,000 new homes in Liverpool by 2016. We're already building 2,500 of them.
"We want everyone in Liverpool to have access to a decent home, and that's why improving our housing stock is one of my top priorities. To achieve this, it's vital that we work creatively with other organisations from the public and private sector.
"This partnership will help us build on the fantastic progress we are making in housing in this city, unlocking new investment opportunities, and allowing us to pool resources and expertise.
"We want to see innovation and a market-led approach in build development and quality, to ensure the people of this city get the housing they deserve."
The council says it will prioritise creating and safeguarding jobs for local people and will work with the partner organisation, through the city's Liverpool in Work programme, to ensure supply chain, labour and skills are sourced locally wherever possible.
Proposals which require the council to underwrite investment will be rejected.
The procurement documents can be viewed at www.thechest.nwce.gov.uk .
The closing date for submission of the Pre Qualification Questionnaire is Friday 19 July.
For more information about the bidders events go to www.liverpool.gov.uk/buildourfuture.
