Liverpool City Council is set to seek a development partner to help transform a prime waterfront spot into Liverpool’s newest residential community. A report to Cabinet on Tuesday, 10 September, is recommending the Council embarks on a competitive procurement exercise to appoint a high calibre development partner to lead on creating a new neighbourhood as part of the city’s famous International Festival Gardens site, which was originally opened in May 1984. The ambition is to significantly boost the city’s housing supply with a diverse range and mix of housing types, including affordable properties, together with local amenities, creating a thriving new community in this prime south Liverpool location, which is well connected and within 10-minutes of the city centre. The scheme, which is a flagship project outlined in the city’s draft housing strategy, will connect with and enhance its natural surroundings and biodiversity and provide a high standard of desirable and multi-generational living for all. Significant remediation and enabling works were recently completed in January 2024 to enable development, and since that time a team of experts have been curating an ambitious, and deliverable development brief which will provide an essential framework to market the site. Clear objectives are outlined which state the council’s intentions to make the 28-acre site a sustainable, healthy and inclusive neighbourhood which has a strong identity and high design quality. If the report is given the green light, the initial phase of the procurement process will begin in October, with a view to securing a partner towards the middle of next year. The development brief will form the central part of a procurement process, seeking viable expressions of interest from developers with a proven, successful track record in delivering transformative schemes at pace, which are built on strong community engagement. Montagu Evans will be running the procurement process on behalf of the Council. It is expected that the contract with the successful development partner will be finalised in Autumn 2025 once thorough due diligence has been undertaken. • You can read the full Cabinet report here. THE REMEDIATION : Remediating the Festival Gardens site has been a three-year project, which began in 2021. It was a mammoth excavation programme, moving almost 450,000 cubic metres of soil and waste of which more than 95 per cent was recycled, including 100,000 cubic metres of earth being used to create the city’s newest park – the Southern Grasslands which opened in August 2023. The remediation won a national brownfield award in recognition of the complex and sustainable nature of activity which was carried out to ensure the viability of the next phase in the transformation of Festival Gardens. Additional works have also been carried out which include laying drainage and constructing a substation to provide a power supply for the future development. This 28-acre site includes a unique 8-acre area of landscaped amenity space, with the other 20 acres now primed and ready for development. The remediation was led by the Council’s principal contractor VINCI Building. The improvement works to the site that are integral to enabling this exciting development to progress were made possible through a combination of Liverpool City Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Homes England grant funding. Leader of Liverpool City Council, Councillor Liam Robinson, said: “This is a major milestone moment in the evolution of the Festival Gardens site. “The appointment of a development partner will see the completion of the International Garden Festival initiative and marks the final chapter in a 40-year story of a site which originally covered 250 acres. It will also ensure that the UK’s only remaining Festival Gardens are preserved and enhanced for future generations to enjoy. “We know how well-loved this area is and want to make sure that we are doing as much as we can to ensure this prime waterfront land has the potential to be a flagship development that sets the standard for sustainable housing in the UK. “The extensive remediation work is another piece in the puzzle, and we’re now in a position to go out to the market and invite developers to share with us their viable vision which will be transformative for the area and the city as a whole. “It’s an incredibly exciting time and is the next step in making this in-demand, thriving community a reality.” Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram, said: “This is another milestone on the journey to transforming Festival Gardens into a vibrant, inclusive community that will be cherished by generations to come. This isn’t just about building units; it’s about building desirable homes, where families can put down roots, where nature and urban living coexist in harmony, and where the community spirit that defines our region can thrive. “Working with the city council we have done much of the hard graft on remediating the contaminated land, and we’re now ready to work with a partner who shares our vision to turn this prime waterfront site into a beacon of sustainable living. Together, we’ll make sure that this development is something we can all be proud of.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) Planning Committee last night approved plans for the redevelopment of the Former Royal Mail Sorting Office site, at Maidstone East, for mixed-use development which is predominantly residential. The development will include 180 apartments, 1,863 square metres of commercial and/or community space and around one acre of open green space town centre park which will be owned and managed by the Council. Cllr Stuart Jeffery, Leader of MBC said: “This redevelopment will form part of the Council’s ambitious housebuilding programme. These are very exciting times for the Council, and the town itself. We believe the project will be transformational to that area of Maidstone, bringing genuinely excellent new homes to the town centre. I am also pleased to see a large new open green space included in the design, it will play an important role in the wellbeing of the new residents and businesses.” MBC has been working on the makeup of the site for the past few years, the demolition of the various buildings is almost complete making way for the new development. Cllr Simon Wales, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness at MBC added: “MBC will be acting as lead developer on the site and has already secured £2.1m of Brownfield Land Release Fund monies from the Department for Local Government Homes & Communities, which has helped fund some of the remedial works to prepare it for redevelopment. “Now that the planning permission is in place, the Council can approach Homes England as to the availability of Social Housing Grant monies to help fund much needed affordable housing on the site. We are also discussing the inclusion of a health facility with the local NHS” Simon continued: “The next steps are to procure a contractor for the works, and to refine and finalise the tenure mix for the project, with a view to the build getting under way in around twelve months.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

A UNIQUE piece of research commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) reveals the huge financial strain temporary accommodation costs are placing on local authorities. Each year, an estimated £74.6 million is spent on renting temporary accommodation across Greater Manchester. The number of people living in temporary accommodation in Greater Manchester is now at an all-time high, with 5,649 households living in hostels, Bed and Breakfast and other temporary accommodation. These households include 7,679 children. Over the past four years the number of households in temporary accommodation in Greater Manchester has increased by 71% compared with 26% across England.  Today the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and the leaders of the city-region’s ten local authorities confirmed the launch of a new Housing First Unit to tackle the roots of the housing crisis by:   Housing First is part of the GMCA’s pioneering approach to delivering public services and tackling the problems that are hampering wellbeing and economic growth. It is based on the philosophy that good health, good education, and good jobs cannot come without a good, permanent home. The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “The £75m our councils are spending on these rents is just the tip of the iceberg. It doesn’t include the cost of finding that housing, let alone the human toll of living in such an insecure situation. “Our reliance on temporary accommodation has left thousands of families in a limbo that is blighting their life chances and damaging their health and wellbeing. Living in a hostel or B&B makes it harder to cook healthy meals, do homework, hold down a job, see friends and family or visit a doctor when you need to. “Our Housing First Unit will work to make sure that everyone in Greater Manchester has a home that is safe, secure and sustainable. Giving everyone a good, safe home would be one of the best investments the country could make and would take pressure off other public services and public finances.”   Demand for social housing in Greater Manchester outstrips supply by 260 per cent. In 2022/23, there were 13,551 social lettings in Greater Manchester – half as many as ten years ago. There were 86,595 households vying for these properties, of which 35,177 were in a priority group for social housing The Mayor and Greater Manchester’s ten council leaders also approved a plan to work together to deliver better quality and better value temporary accommodation. The cost and demand for temporary accommodation has spiralled in recent years due to a lack of social and affordable housing and the high cost of private rentals. Local authorities must abide by strict rules around how they cover these rental costs and can only recover a fraction of what they spend from central government. In Greater Manchester, councils were only able to recover 42% of the £74.6 million they spent on temporary accommodation, creating an annual net loss of £43million.   The GMCA will explore new ways of coordinating, delivering and preventing the need for temporary accommodation. It will also draw lessons from current best practice across the city-region, such as Manchester City Council, which has been able to buck the national trend, reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation and all but eradicating the use of Bed and Breakfasts. Portfolio Lead for Housing First, City Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett, said: “The spiralling cost of temporary accommodation represents an existential threat to local government. Following 14 years of previous Government-driven austerity, we’ve seen councils up and down the country going bankrupt, with temporary accommodation placing an ever-bigger burden on their budgets.     “In recent years, the lack of social and council housing has massively increased landlords’ bargaining power, leaving our residents struggling to secure a place to call home. That market pressure has also made it harder for councils to negotiate rates and secure temporary accommodation. Without urgent and radical action, annual financial losses for local authorities will just keep growing, putting further pressure on overstretched budgets, continuing to push councils into bankruptcy. “There is no quick fix for this housing crisis which has been 40 years in the making. The Right to Buy has led to chronic under-supply of social and council housing. We’ve lost 24,000 homes to Right to Buy in the past two decades and not enough new homes are being built to replace them. Rising land values, an inability currently to capture land-value uplift in the National Planning Policy Framework, ongoing land assembly challenges, and skills and experiences shortages are also making it harder to build truly affordable housing.   “We welcome the progress the new Government is making, including the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Bill, which will end no fault eviction and recent changes to the Compulsory Purchase Regulations to tackle issues with ‘hope value’ and the implications for the viability of developments. “Through regional collaboration and with the support of central Government, we can work to deliver Greater Manchester’s vision of Housing First and collectively work to mitigate the worst effects of the housing crisis. “By taking a collaborative, co-ordinated and evidence-based approach, we hope to realise economies of scale and deliver temporary accommodation that is better value for money, while reducing the need for temporary accommodation by significantly increasing & accelerating the supply of Truly Affordable Net Zero homes. “A good home is the cornerstone of a healthy, happy life for our residents. By working together, we can improve the standard of temporary accommodation and make sure they are consistent across Greater Manchester.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

London boroughs have welcomed the government introducing its Renters’ Rights Bill to the House of Commons, hoping that reforms will ease skyrocketing homelessness pressures in the capital. The cross-party London Councils group has emphasised its support for banning unfair evictions and for applying higher quality standards in the private rented sector – including the extension of Awaab’s Law to private landlords. With local authorities playing a key role in the regulation of the private rented sector, London boroughs also highlight the need for sufficient resources to implement these new measures effectively. Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Regeneration, said: “Three million Londoners live in private rented sector homes and undoubtedly deserve stronger protection. “Boroughs support a ban on no-fault evictions. Too often we’ve seen Londoners turfed out of their homes for no good reason and made homeless, turning their lives upside down. With London’s homelessness pressures at record levels, banning these evictions is a crucial step forward. “Boroughs will work both with the government and with landlords to ensure these reforms are as successful as possible. Part of that means ensuring boroughs are provided with the powers and resources we need to enforce the new rules. We will also work alongside minsters in tackling the other deep-seated issues driving London’s housing pressures and rapidly escalating homelessness crisis – especially the chronic shortage of affordable housing.” Research published last year by London Councils revealed a 41% reduction in private rental listings in the capital following the Covid-19 pandemic – a key factor in exacerbating housing and homelessness pressures. With the reduced availability of private rented sector properties in London, boroughs believe it is vital the government’s reforms support landlords and positively encourage them to increase standards. London Councils estimates that 175,000 Londoners are homeless and living in temporary accommodation arranged by their local borough. This is equivalent to one in 50 Londoners overall. London Councils’ latest borough survey shows a 10% increase in homeless London households living in temporary accommodation between April 2023 and April 2024. London accounts for 56% of England’s total number of homeless households. London Councils additionally points to a report last year from a cross-party parliamentary committee warning that councils may lack adequate resources for enforcing new rules in the private rented sector. The committee highlighted the precarious state of local government finances, the shortage of qualified enforcement staff, and a lack of reliable data. The report also stressed the need for more affordable housing to tackle the rocketing rental costs many tenants face. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The regeneration masterplan for the Grey Mare Lane estate has been met with broad approval from the east Manchester community a new report going to the Council executive committee (Weds 11 September) has concluded.  The Council-built estate is more than 50years old and represents a key regeneration location as part of the ongoing transformation of east Manchester. (See notes to editors)  An 8-week consultation started in May this year and gathered feedback from local people via both online submissions and an in-person engagement event held in the estate. A community steering group made up of residents, elected members and Council officers also meet regularly to discuss and input into the planning process for the estate investment.   The masterplan is a high-level overview of the regeneration opportunities within the estate, which envisages a highly sustainable investment programme that will deliver at least 1,000 new homes – including a significant number of affordable homes and new green spaces.   Feedback from local residents included:  This feedback will be included in the final masterplan document for the estate, which will help guide investment in the area in the years to come.  Future investment in the Grey Mare Lane estate will include:  Architect BDP have delivered the masterplan on behalf of the Grey Mare Lane partnership.    First Development sites – update  Concurrently with the masterplan consultation, Great Places Housing Group undertook targeted engagement around their development site at the corner of Grey Mare Lane and Ashton New Road.   The proposed scheme will deliver a block of 69 apartments for social rent providing a landmark gateway development into the Masterplan area.      A planning application for this site is expected to be submitted in the Autumn.   At the same time, One Manchester is continuing to prepare their development sites and demolitions are ongoing to enable future development.   Any affected residents have been part of this conversation for some time and we have made a commitment that anyone who has had to move to allow the regeneration of the estate will have the right to return to the estate if they want to.   Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said:    “The feedback we receive directly from local people – both through the consultation and the community steering group – is quite often the most impactful. Knowing what a neighbourhood needs is best explained by the very people who live and use the area every day.   “Through this investment we will see at least 1,000 new homes – including lots of affordable homes – a new heart and focal point of the estate with new shops and community facilities, and lots more green and play spaces.   “Thank you to everyone who took part – your feedback will help guide future development proposals for the Grey Mare Lane estate, and we’re looking forward to the first planning applications being submitted late this year.”  Helen Spencer, Executive Director of Growth at Great Places, said:    “We’re delighted to see the community’s positive response to the Grey Mare Lane estate regeneration plans. The project is a great opportunity to provide much-needed affordable housing in the area and vibrant green spaces, enhancing residents’ quality of life.  “The feedback will provide invaluable input to ensure our planned developments meet the community’s needs, and we look forward to continuing to work with Manchester City Council, One Manchester, and This City to bring this vision to life.”  Barry Wears, Chief Financial Officer, One Manchester, said:  “It’s great to see things moving forward for the community. As we prepare our development sites and carry out necessary demolitions to make improvements for the community, we’re committed to making sure any affected residents are part of the conversation. We’ve pledged that those who’ve had to move due to the works will have the right to return to the estate if they want to. Our ongoing collaboration with partners and keeping the community involved will make sure that the development will boost the area and support the needs of local residents.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Liverpool City Council is set to seek a development partner to help transform a prime waterfront spot into Liverpool’s newest residential community. A report to Cabinet on Tuesday, 10 September, is recommending the Council embarks on a competitive procurement exercise to appoint a high calibre development partner to lead on creating a new neighbourhood as part of the city’s famous International Festival Gardens site, which was originally opened in May 1984. The ambition is to significantly boost the city’s housing supply with a diverse range and mix of housing types, including affordable properties, together with local amenities, creating a thriving new community in this prime south Liverpool location, which is well connected and within 10-minutes of the city centre. The scheme, which is a flagship project outlined in the city’s draft housing strategy, will connect with and enhance its natural surroundings and biodiversity and provide a high standard of desirable and multi-generational living for all. Significant remediation and enabling works were recently completed in January 2024 to enable development, and since that time a team of experts have been curating an ambitious, and deliverable development brief which will provide an essential framework to market the site. Clear objectives are outlined which state the council’s intentions to make the 28-acre site a sustainable, healthy and inclusive neighbourhood which has a strong identity and high design quality. If the report is given the green light, the initial phase of the procurement process will begin in October, with a view to securing a partner towards the middle of next year. The development brief will form the central part of a procurement process, seeking viable expressions of interest from developers with a proven, successful track record in delivering transformative schemes at pace, which are built on strong community engagement. Montagu Evans will be running the procurement process on behalf of the Council. It is expected that the contract with the successful development partner will be finalised in Autumn 2025 once thorough due diligence has been undertaken. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals