Pound land: Derelict houses in Liverpool to be sold for just £1

Pound land: Derelict houses in Liverpool to be sold for just £1

Liverpool city bosses are to sell off derelict houses in a failed regeneration zone for just £1 to revive the stalled project.
The decision to let the homes go at the rock-bottom price comes after months of delays caused by the council's decision to break off talks with developer Leader1.

The firm had been in line to redevelop hundreds of homes in the "Granby Triangle" but city leaders pulled the £25m tender after the company failed to meet deadlines for signing the contract. Since it was revealed the deal had fallen through in November last year the boarded up homes have remained empty.

Now, the council proposes to sell off a cluster of houses for just £1 to residents - on the condition they will be brought up to a decent standard. Private landlords will also be able to bid for the tender to refurbish some of the vacant homes and then buy the freeholds for £1.

Last night, deputy mayor and council finance chief Cllr Paul Brant said: "This allows people who may be excluded from mortgages but have construction skills to play a part in the regeneration of their communities.

"It's been proven to work in other parts of the region. We've seen that the private sector model has not succeeded so far and, through this way of doing things, if there is any profit it will stay with local people."

Residents reacted with a mixture of anger and disappointment when the Leader1 scheme fell through last year. They said they had been uneasy that a private firm with no track record in social housing had been awarded the tender.

Local resident Theresa MacDermott said: "This is a much better scenario. Obviously there were delays because of the situation with Leader1, but although there's some uncertainty at the moment it's positive."

As part of the initial pilot scheme, 20 houses will be offered for sale to residents for £1 in the Granby 'Four Streets' and Arnside Road in Kensington.

In the 'Webster Triangle' in Picton the council will either partner up with housing associations or "dispose of the properties to private landlords".

Council Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Richard Kemp, who has previously called into question the council's decision to get involved with private firms in the delivery of social housing, said he hoped the scheme would succeed, adding: "I think this is a good idea, provided there's a solid basis for it.

"Either housing associations or private individuals need to be doing this, as there's no profit to be made out of this kind of scheme, as we've seen through those that have failed."