A target of 8,000 new homes being built across Liverpool in the next three years is one of the key strands of an ambitious housing strategy for the city.
In a bid to address Liverpool’s shortfall of affordable homes, the increasing homelessness crisis and fuel poverty issues, the city council has set out its vision it wants to adopt over the next six years. With a growth of 40,000 households expected over the next two decades, the challenges facing Liverpool’s housing capacity are myriad.
The local authority’s cabinet last night signed off on a wide-ranging strategy it hopes can begin work on immediately to address the issues.
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In the last five years, a little more than 10% of the 10,700 new homes built in Liverpool were classed as affordable. Through its strategy – which will now go out for public consultation – Liverpool Council wants to double that and address how more than half the city’s population are forced to rent rather than own their own home.
The draft strategy also highlighted how a fifth of properties across Liverpool – 44,000 – do not currently meet the decent homes definition set by government in 2004. This includes a requirement to be “in a reasonable state of repair” with “reasonably modern facilities and services.”
Addressing the cabinet meeting, Cllr Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool Council, said: “Somebody’s home is at the cornerstone of their life so it has to link to their education, transport, their health and so many other determinants.” As a result, city officials want to redress the balance given its own data showing 18% of households live in fuel poverty.
The city leader also sought to condemn those who leave more than 8,000 properties empty across Liverpool. He said: “We want to make sure we’re bring all those different empty homes, some of which blight so many communities in our city, but frankly, could and should be put to much better use as homes for families in this city.”
On the target of 8,000 new homes, Cllr Robinson said around 25% of those were in progress. Through its four key themes, the local authority is seeking to provide more housing for vulnerable groups including those facing homelessness.
A report put to cabinet said a new homelessness strategy is being devised.
Cllr Dan Barrington said the council still faces challenges with aging housing stock and placed emphasis on the need to retrofit as many homes as possible to make them compliant and safe for residents. Cllr Laura Robertson-Collins called upon the cabinet to ensure it got to work immediately on seeking to address the housing issues the city faces, adding: “we can’t sit on our hands on this.”
Following a period of public consultation, it is expected the full strategy will be adopted formally in the autumn.
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