Torus acquires Knowsley land for £24m housing

The Liverpool-based affordable housing provider has bought from Knowsley Council an 8.5-acre site off Knowsley Lane and Astley Road in Huyton that has approval for 131 homes. 

The £24m scheme, which won consent in the summer, is to be built by HMS, Torus’ in-house building contractor, and provide a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses available through the Government’s Rent-to-Buy initiative.

Rent-to-Buy helps people rent a newly built home at 20% less than market rent levels, to save a deposit to buy the property after five years or to convert their home to shared ownership. 

Romiley-based Bowker Salder Architecture designed the Huyton project.

Torus Developments’ managing director Chris Bowen said: “Knowsley is an important area for Torus, and one we will continue to invest in over the coming years.

“Merseyside remains a key priority for Torus and we will continue working with the council to regenerate disused land and build affordable homes, suited to the individual needs of the people who live in the area.” 

All commercial profits from the scheme will be reinvested back into the community via Torus’ charitable arm, Torus Foundation, Bowen said. 

Construction is due to start before the end of the year and complete in autumn 2022.

Elsewhere in Knowsley, Torus’ has completed work on a £25m extra care and supported living scheme in Kirkby called the Maples. 

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Torus seem to be building everywhere across Liverpool City region Cheshire and south Lancashire….even Wigan !

By George

This is good news, In my opinion Housing Associations should be encouraged by local Councils to build more affordable housing, especially with a Rent to Buy scheme. Liverpool City Council are proposing to build Council Houses, now that the Government has written off £750m of debt from its previous incursion into Council Housing. Far better that Housing Associations take on this responsibility as they already have the skills and infrastructure to manage it rather tan the Council who have other important matters to attend to.

By Forward Thinker

Fair play to Torus, they seem to be active. Many of the RSLs seem to have taken steps backwards in terms of development, or are they just not as vocal about their work?

By Mark Gilbertson

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