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Housing
We are committed to ensuring that our city region provides quality homes and communities for the people who need them.
Quality housing for all
We want to make the most of everything that our City Region has to offer, from the vibrant city centre, to the scenic surrounding areas. The quality of the homes we live in is paramount for our wellbeing and quality of life. We have many attractive neighbourhoods with high quality housing. But we also have neighbourhoods with poor housing and little choice. and too many of our residents have difficulty getting the homes that they need.
We want to make sure our homes are well designed, energy efficient and meet a wide range of housing needs, including those of our more vulnerable groups.
We have already appointed a Liverpool City Region Design Champion, Paul Monaghan, to kick start a conversation about the importance of design and quality throughout the city region – making it one of the best places to live in the world.
But this isn’t just about new homes. We must make existing homes as energy efficient as possible, to improve the overall quality of the City Region’s housing.
We are working with our partners in our local authorities, housing associations, developers and our communities to make sure the City Region’s housing supports our economic growth aspirations (including recovering from the Coronavirus pandemic); that our housing is of good quality – whether rented or owned, and that the housing needs of our more vulnerable residents are met.
Brownfield First
A brownfield site is land previously developed, for industrial or commercial use. For example, it may have been used for factory buildings which are no longer in use. Prioritising building new homes on sites like this allows us to maintain as many of our existing green spaces as possible, repurposing the land already available to us and also supports existing communities where brownfield land is often situated.
The Liverpool City Region Brownfield Land Register lists around 800 sites across the City Region, which could accommodate over 42,000 new homes. This supports our work with Homes England on our Strategic Place Partnership, working together to provide more high-quality, sustainable homes in the Liverpool City Region.
Brownfield Land Fund
In July 2020, the Liverpool City Region was allocated £60m from the Government’s Brownfield Land Fund to deliver previously-developed, or brownfield, land suitable for at least 4,000 and preferably 5,000 homes. The money is being used to make the sites ready for development.
Brownfield Land Release Fund
The LCR One Public Estate Partnership works with Local Authority partners to unlock public sector–owned land for housing. The Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) is a cross-government initiative between the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and One Public Estate (OPE) which is delivered in partnership by the Local Government Association and the Cabinet Office.
Housing Energy Efficiency - Retrofit
Retrofit is the process of making changes to an existing home to improve its energy performance, through adding measures such as insulation to the property, or by installing a low-carbon heating system. The aims are to save energy, keep homes warmer, cut carbon emissions and ease fuel costs. Find out more about Housing Energy Efficiency and available funding below
Home Upgrade Grant 2 (HUG2)
Solar Together
Solar Together is a collective purchasing scheme for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and batteries. It is delivered in partnership with iChoosr who administer a reverse auction to achieve the best value for homeowners in the ‘able to pay’ or ‘self-funded’ market.
The first round of LCR Solar Together concluded in June 2023 with the three successful contractors delivering installations to 586 homes.The second round of Solar Together began in September 2023 and will conclude in June 2024. iChoosr awarded the delivery contract to Solar Bureau.
Please see case studies for stories and examples of installation.
Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Wave 2.1
The Combined Authority obtained grant funding from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to deliver SHDF Wave 2.1. Delivery commenced in 2023 and will conclude March 2025. The Combined Authority has led a consortium of 14 Registered Providers of Social Housing to deliver energy improvements to social homes in the City Region. This follows delivery of SHDF Wave 1 by the Combined Authority.
Funding is targeted at social homes with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of band D-G with the aims of improving their energy performance to EPC band C, reducing reliance on fossil fuel heating, and easing fuel costs for tenants.
Registered Providers determine which of their homes to include in SHDF, which measures are suitable for installation and which contractors to appoint to provide retrofit assessment, design, coordination, and installation services. If you are a social housing tenant, please contact your provider directly to enquire about participation.
The Combined Authority is currently working with Registered Providers in the City Region to prepare for future Waves of SHDF.
