Liverpool City Council to boost housing with new commercial company

Liverpool City Council is seeking to give thousands of people new routes into home ownership with the launch of a new housing company.

A report going before the Cabinet this Friday (June 24) will outline proposals to establish a commercial for-profit company, owned by the authority, that would develop new houses for sale and rent on public and private sector land over the next few years.

If approved, the company would aim to help people get onto the property ladder through the development of starter homes and buy-to-rent properties, as well as shared ownership schemes. The company could buy and refurb vacant properties in addition to delivering newbuilds.

With the rented properties, the company would serve as a commercial private landlord.

As part of the proposal, Liverpool City Council is also working to boost construction employment opportunities for local companies and apprentices. Profits made by the business would be channeled back into wider council services.

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: “We have done an awful lot to increase the range and choice of housing in the city over the last few years by working with housing associations and developers, as well as through our innovative Homes for a Pound scheme.

“Our success in creating more than 5,000 new homes with private and public sector partners has improved life for thousands of residents and is generating valuable council tax income to help offset cuts in our funding from Central Government.”

He continued: “However, despite this work, I am acutely aware that there are still far too many people simply can’t get a foot on to the housing ladder in the areas where they want to live.

“This is an opportunity to use our knowledge and land to build properties which boosts employment, while at the same time helping people into their first home.”

The council has also confirmed that the new company would not rent out the homes on a social housing basis, and so would not compete with the region’s housing associations.

Cllr Frank Hont, the authority’s Cabinet member for housing, commented: “This is not a return to the days of the council being a social landlord providing mass housing.

“This is not about competing with other sectors but about filling gaps in the market which the private sector is not doing, and increasing the quality of the housing market.”