Liverpool City Council has launched a public consultation on the city’s housing plans. The council has set a vision for 2030 and aims to support 2,000 new houses a year, reduce the number of empty homes, and tackle homelessness through their new draft housing strategy. This will shape a £1+ billion building program for the council. The council also plans to develop brownfield sites in line with aims set by the new government. Schemes include Festival Gardens, Liverpool Waters, King’s Dock, and Paddington Village. Liverpool is predicted to grow by another 40,000 households in the next 20 years, and the council intends to address this throughout their strategy. Currently, 52% of people live in private rented or social rented homes, giving Liverpool one of the highest ratios in the country.
The council also plans to double the number of affordable homes to allow first-time buyers into the housing market. In the past five years, only 11% of the 10,700 new homes built were classified as affordable. The draft housing strategy consultation will run until Friday, September 6th. An online survey is available for those wishing to participate. In addition, residents can email their views for the strategy.
The draft strategy will be underpinned by four themes designed to improve people’s health and support the council’s net-zero ambitions. The four themes are as follows: (1) Deliver quality homes that support needs and aspirations, (2) improve homes and neighborhoods, (3) promote healthier lives and sustainable homes, and (4) enable access to a suitable home.
Liverpool has set out a significant retrofitting programme to improve insulation and heating sustainability as 18% of households are currently living in fuel poverty. The programme will help reduce the city’s carbon footprint, which currently accounts for 33% of the city’s carbon emissions. Councillor Liam Robinson believes this new strategy will help to build a better quality of life and improve access to critical services. He’s confident Liverpool can now get the country moving in launching a new era of quality, affordable homes
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