Mayor hails £15m scheme to improve 400 homes – that’s delivered much wider benefits to community 

• Energy efficiency measures being installed in 400 homes in Kirkdale

• Project supported with £4.48m from Combined Authority’s via Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund

• £50,000 social value generated

• Support for Everton in the Community’s Safe Hands project and community supermarket and cafe

Mayor Steve Rotheram has praised a major scheme to make hundreds of north Liverpool homes warmer and cheaper to run – while also supporting a community supermarket and a project to help young people. 

Housing association Onward Homes is upgrading 400 ageing terraced homes across Kirkdale, County and Warbreck neighbourhoods. 

Homes have been fitted with a range of upgrades, including triple-glazed windows and doors, insulation to walls and loft spaces, and new roofs and interior ventilation – making them more energy efficient, comfortable and easier to heat. 

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority secured £4.48m grant funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). Onward is investing more than £15m in the project. 

The project is also supporting community initiatives through £50,000 in social value contributions from contractor Novus Property Solutions. This includes Everton in the Community’s Safe Hands programme, which helps young people living with special educational needs and poor mental health. The scheme has also supported Community Shop in Walton, an affordable supermarket and cafe, by helping to create a community allotment. 

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region, said: 

“This is a fantastic example of the type of upgrade we want to see in homes across the Liverpool City Region.

“Not only will these homes be warmer, more comfortable and energy-efficient, but this investment will also improve lives and create a lasting, positive impact in the local community.

“I’m proud that we’ve been able to support this vital work, and we’ll continue to champion projects that bring tangible benefits to residents and future generations.”

(L-R) Sandy Livingstone, Executive Director of Property at Onward Homes, Bronwen Rapley Chief Executive at Onward Homes, and Mayor Steve Rotheram.

Bronwen Rapley, Chief Executive at Onward Homes, said: 

“Kirkdale is by far our most ambitious retrofit project to date, improving living conditions for hundreds of customers and making it easier to keep their homes warm. We are very grateful to the Mayor and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority for supporting this vital work. 

“We are determined that the benefits of this investment should be felt far beyond our customers’ homes and ensure a positive local legacy. We are pleased to be adding more than £50,000 in social value to our longstanding commitment to support local customers.” 

By 2030, Onward plans to invest more than £42m in improvements to existing homes, including retrofitting 3,000 homes across the North West to make them more energy efficient. 

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has secured £105m to retrofit 10,000 homes by September 2025, working with housing associations and other partners.