Liverpool and Everton communities to benefit from £40 million transformation

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities, Environment, Local Government

Communities based around Liverpool's Premier league football grounds are to receive a major makeover as part of a £40 million environmental improvement scheme.

Four major 'gateways' to the city's most popular tourist attractions will be radically overhauled with nearly 4,000 homes to receive external improvement works from Liverpool Mutual Homes (LMH)

Gardens and public green land will also receive significant upgrades as part of the GreenPrint for Growth strategy.

The project will see the main routes from the city centre leading north to Everton FC and Liverpool FC stadiums, Aintree Racecourse, the Docks and once built, Liverpool Waters, drastically transformed.

Large-scale repairs and maintenance will be carried out externally to LMH-owned homes, flats and sheltered housing complexes on the following routes: Waterloo Road leading to Regent Road; Great Howard Street leading to Derby Road; Vauxhall Road leading to Commercial Road; Scotland Road leading to Kirkdale Road and Walton Road.

Some 3,990 homes will receive new fences, over 500 new roofs will be fitted, 4,200 homes will benefit from roof repairs, and the communal areas of 140 flats will be overhauled.

According to LMH, £12m will be spent over the next year alone.

LMH chief executive, Steve Coffey, said: “Our work with Liverpool Vision under the GreenPrint for Growth programme will make a huge difference to the people and communities of north Liverpool that have been left neglected for far too long.

“We have a large number of properties in the area and this regeneration scheme will complement the £380m improvement programme we are carrying out to homes that sees us investing £65.8m this financial year.

“Residents will benefit from an improved standard of living and it will paint a far better picture of the city for potential investors and the millions of tourists who visit landmarks like the football grounds, the Docks and Aintree Racecourse every year.

“It is vital for Liverpool’s growth and prosperity that organisations like LMH help social enterprises and smaller businesses so offering them the chance to bid for multi-million pound contracts to deliver the environmental works gives them and the local economy a huge boost.”

Max Steinberg, Chief Executive of Liverpool Vision, said: “This is a major step forward for the GreenPrint for Growth initiative.

“We need to make the wider area ready for investment and LMH’s involvement will help improve the quality of place for the benefit of residents, help attract future investment and encourage business start ups and growth and crucially create jobs.”

Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Ann O’Byrne, said: “It’s great news that LMH are carrying out these major housing improvements and environmental works.

“This massive investment will make a real difference to local residents, breathing new life into properties and revitalising some major city routes.

“We are working really hard to drive up the quality of housing in north Liverpool, so we can build a better future for local communities. This fantastic project will support our on-going efforts to create neighbourhoods that everyone can be proud of.”

The 2012/13 financial year is the fifth year of LMH’s Improvement Programme which has seen over £380 million spent improving 15,000 homes that were transferred from Liverpool City Council in 2008.

Once completed, LMH will continue to invest millions of pounds to keep homes in good condition alongside building new properties and bringing empty homes back into use.