The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is pumping cash into our region
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is pumping cash into our region
Crumbling buildings, old car parks and disused land could be swept away to deliver more than 550 new homes as part of a multi-million pound investment in the Liverpool City Region. Councils from across the six local authorities in our regions will receive key funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to fast track the building of new houses.
For the first time, Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, and Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, working with Homes England, will shape the course of action for new affordable housing money in their regions, setting out plans for the types of homes that get built and sites prioritised for construction and how many suitable bids for grant funding could come forward in each area. This means homes are built where they are needed most, designed around local priorities, and shaped by people who know their communities best.
Steve Reed, Housing Secretary, said local government was being backed by Whitehall to “turn wastelands into homes” and get spades in the ground. The financial settlement comes less than two months after Mr Reed’s department turned down a bid for a “new town” in the north of Liverpool stretching into Sefton that has the potential to deliver 10,000 new homes.
The government is delivering £13.8m as part of a wider £40m investment across Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester.
The latest round of funding will prompt work on 555 new homes in Liverpool City Region, building on top of 4,000 already in the pipeline enabled by £60m previously invested. The funding will also help advance social housing plans by enabling providers to get going on bids for projects, break ground sooner, and kickstart thousands of desperately needed new homes for families.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “This marks the single biggest earmarked investment in housing our region has ever seen – and the largest pot of funding we’ve ever seen for social and affordable homes. It’s a massive vote of confidence from the government in our region’s ability to deliver.
“Since I was elected, we’ve built more than 32,000 homes, invested a further £60m developing brownfield sites, and retrofitted 10,000 houses.
“We’ve built up real momentum – but now we’re ready to turbocharge our housebuilding plans. This new funding will help us go even further towards our target of building 16,000 new social and affordable homes over the next decade – good quality homes that local people can be proud of while also helping us to tackle the homelessness crisis.
“We’ve got the vision, the skills, and an abundance of ambition to help the government hit its national targets – but, most importantly, this is about helping more local people and families into safe, secure, and affordable homes of their own. Homes where people can put down roots, build their futures, and get on the housing ladder.
“We’re ambitious, we’re excited, and we’re ready to get to work – so let’s build, baby, build.”
The cash injection will also fire up local jobs and drive growth, backed by the government’s £39 billion investment the Social and Affordable Homes Programme to deliver around 300,000 social and affordable homes over its lifetime. An indicative spend of £700m has been marked up for social housing across the Liverpool City Region.
Final spending will depend on the number and quality of bids approved by Homes England.
Mr Reed added: “This investment will be life changing for thousands of families in the North West waiting for a safe, secure home of their own. We’re putting our regional Mayors firmly in the driving seat to build – with new cash to turn wastelands into homes and slash social housing waiting lists.
“We’re backing the area all the way to get spades in the ground, fire up those diggers and build, baby, build.”