Recently, Sefton Council leader Marion Atkinson, Cabinet members Paulette Lappin and Daren Veidman and Bootle MP Peter Dowd visited the new development at Buckley Hill in Netherton.
Eighteen of the properties at the development will be for social rent making them the first new council housing in Sefton since 2006.
A mixture of one- and two- bedroom apartments, the new council homes will be let to local people through the Property Pool Plus housing allocations scheme. This means those in housing need and with a connection to the local area will be given priority.
All the 63 homes for sale and rent on the Molyneux Gardens site include measures to reduce the Buckley Hill Lane site’s carbon footprint and offset its impact on climate change.
This means high efficiency boilers and heating systems and energy efficient design. Apartments on the ground floor have been to meet national accessibility and adaptability standards including level access showers.
All properties on the site, including the apartment blocks, have electric vehicle charging points.
Cllr Atkinson said:
“We’re really, really excited about people being able to move in, local people being able to move in as soon as possible.
“The council last commissioned or bought new council properties in 2006 so this is a real game changer for Sefton Council.
It shows our ambition, it shows our determination to ensure that homes and apartments are being built for local people in the places that they love.”
Peter Dowd MP said:
“It’s part of the government’s agenda to build one and a half million houses over the next few years and I’m really pleased that the 45 houses and the 18 apartments are moving on at a great pace. “I’m also pleased that local people will have access to these locally built houses.”
Developing these apartments – the first new council housing in Sefton for almost 20 years – is part of Sefton Council’s commitment to tackling much-needed new home in the Borough and tackling homelessness. It is also in line with Government’s national housing policy, which focuses on the delivery of more, affordable family homes.
Cllr Lappin said:
“This is the first time in 20 years that we have actually been able to start building and we’ll be able to begin to tackle homelessness through the borough. “It’s also in line with central government’s policy.”
The Buckley Hill lane development has benefited from grant funding from the Combined Authority and from the Homes England Affordable Homes Programme 21-26 to help support these new homes to be developed.
Looking ahead, Sefton Council is prioritising social and affordable housing delivery across the Borough through the Council’s Transformation Plan. This includes working with partners to bring forward more social and affordable housing. Sefton Council is working with One Vision Housing to create 53 new affordable family homes at site of the former Bootle High School.
Cllr Veidman said:
“Looking forward the council is going to be prioritising social and affordable housing through the council’s transformation plan.
“Another example of this is the council is currently working with Long Bridge and Housing to deliver 53 affordable homes on the former Bootle High School site.”