A developer is being sought to breathe new life into 177 inner city homes in Liverpool.

Liverpool City Council is inviting expressions of interest from experienced organisations to refurbish vacant council-owned properties in the Kensington, Granby and Picton Renewal areas.

The works, which have an estimated value of £14 million, will bring 177 vacant homes back into use as part of a major refurbishment and rebuild programme. The selected organisation will finance the work.

The scheme aims to drive up the quality of housing for local residents, widen choice and provide a better mix of affordable properties for sale or rent.


Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety at the city council, Councillor Ann O'Byrne, said: "In such difficult economic times, it’s more important than ever that we find new and innovative ways of improving our housing stock. These plans reaffirm our commitment to continue working with partners, to attract vital investment and bring vacant properties back into use, despite the Government's scrapping of the Housing Market Renewal scheme.

"We are looking forward to identifying first-class organisations to work in partnership with the council and stakeholders to deliver exciting change in these areas. It's about providing good quality, affordable housing for the people who need it most, as well as strengthening community confidence and improving the quality of residents' lives.

"We are making progress in housing renewal, with a wide range of activities underway in our renewal areas, including improvement, redevelopment and refurbishment of homes as well as new build. These latest plans fit in well with our overall vision for housing in this city."

(CD/KMcA)