Work has started on the construction of 200 new homes at the former Queen Mary School site on Long Lane in Fazakerley.
Cllr Ann O’Byrne, Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing, joined housebuilder Countryside and regeneration specialist, Sigma Capital, to officially mark the start of building work.
The brownfield development, Queen Mary Place, will see an investment of £26m, contributing to the Mayor’s 2012 commitment to deliver 5,000 new homes by 2016.
The new development is being built by Countryside Sigma, Regeneration Liverpool’s housing affiliate. 136 of the high quality new homes will be available for sale through the Government’s 5% deposit Help to Buy scheme, with the remaining 64 available for private rent under a new private rental offering between Sigma Capital, Gatehouse Bank Plc and Barclays.
Work at Queen Mary Place comes just five months after Countryside unveiled the second phase of the £200m NGV Liverpool development, The Avenue at NGV, adding 130 affordable new homes to the 218 built and occupied since 2011.
Both developments are being built by Countryside on behalf of Sigma and Liverpool City Council’s regeneration partnership, Regeneration Liverpool, and will fulfil a shared vision to create sustainable communities across the city.
Assistant Mayor and Cabinet member for housing, Cllr Ann O’Byrne, said: “This is an excellent example of how we are being creative and using existing developed sites that are in our ownership to create much-needed new houses for sale and rent. Our Regeneration Liverpool partnership with Sigma is starting to make a real impact now and help us deliver on the Mayor’s pledge to build 5,000 new properties to meet the demand for good quality family homes in the city.”
Ian Kelley, Managing Director of Countryside’s Partnerships North division, commented: “There is a real demand for high quality and affordable new homes across Liverpool and the Mayor’s ambitious housing strategy for the city is going a long way in catering for this appetite.
“The success of NGV Liverpool and the transformation of Norris Green since 2011 is a powerful testament to what can be achieved through collaborative working. We are very proud to be taking our partnership with Sigma and Liverpool City Council forward with the creation of Queen Mary Place and to further improving the quality and variety of homes across the city.”
Graeme Hogg, Chief Operating Officer at Sigma Capital, said: “We are very excited that this project is finally under construction. The mixture of rental and for sale is new for the area – and allows us to satisfy real market need. Customers will have a genuine choice whether to buy or rent these high quality family homes. The pace of delivery at 10 per month is unprecedented and will transform a site that has lain derelict for so long.”
Countryside is due to open the Queen Mary Place Show Village this summer, which will comprise four interior-decorated show homes to showcase the range of three-bedroom house types available for sale.
For more information or to register your interest, visit www.countryside-properties.com or contact Countryside on 0151 909 3937.
Ends
For further information: Ruth Thomas at Truth PR on 0161 238 9824 or 07837 039 768
