Innovative Partnership to Accelerate Housing Development in Liverpool
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has entered into a groundbreaking Place Delivery Agreement (PDA) with Homes England and its subsidiary, the National Housing Bank. This partnership aims to expedite the construction of homes, rejuvenate local areas, and stimulate economic growth throughout the city region.
This agreement marks a historic milestone as the first PDA of its kind in England, ensuring that national resources, expertise, and investment are channelled towards fulfilling the Liverpool City Region’s aspirations for new housing, significant regeneration projects, and sustainable economic advancement.
Transforming Collaborative Efforts into Co-Delivery
PDAs serve as a novel mechanism to support the government’s devolution strategy by shifting the relationship between Homes England, the National Housing Bank, and Mayoral Strategic Authorities from mere collaboration to a more integrated co-delivery model. This approach will establish dedicated Joint Delivery Units comprising representatives from Homes England and the Strategic Authorities, thereby enhancing shared commitments and accountability to local mayors.
As the devolution process unfolds, PDAs are set to become the primary means by which Homes England collaborates with mayoral authorities to facilitate housing delivery, regeneration, and growth, bolstered by the Agency’s new regional operating model. Furthermore, Homes England will maintain partnerships with non-mayoral areas, ensuring that all communities can access the necessary support, investment, and expertise to realise their ambitions.
Key Pillars of the Agreement
The PDA with the Liverpool City Region will enhance the mayor’s influence over decisions related to housing and regeneration investments, aligning the activities of Homes England and the National Housing Bank around three pivotal pillars established by the region:
- Transformative Growth: This involves delivering large-scale projects such as the Liverpool North Docks Mayoral Development Corporation and the Central Station Gateway, which are set to redefine the landscape of the city region.
- Housing Pipeline: The agreement aims to sustain and improve the City Region’s housing pipeline, fostering the delivery of social, affordable, and council homes.
- Tackling Barriers: Collaborative efforts will focus on creating the necessary conditions to accelerate the delivery of housing across various tenures, addressing skills and capacity challenges, and enhancing place-based investments.
A Dedicated Approach to Delivery
To facilitate these objectives, a dedicated Joint Delivery Unit will be established, comprising representatives from Homes England, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and the National Housing Bank. The Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, expressed his enthusiasm for this historic agreement, highlighting the potential to significantly increase the construction of council and social homes, revive stalled projects, and ensure that investments are directed where they can make the most substantial impact.
Rotheram remarked, “This is what devolution should be about – empowering places to have greater control and enabling us to get on with the job.” The Chair of Homes England, Pat Ritchie CBE, echoed this sentiment, stating that empowering local leaders is crucial for fostering successful communities. She stated, “Today’s agreement represents an important step in deepening our partnership with the Liverpool City Region, allowing us to collaborate more effectively towards shared goals.”
Future Prospects for Housing and Regeneration
The Place Delivery Agreement not only reinforces the existing Strategic Place Partnership but also positions Liverpool’s North Docks Mayoral Development Corporation to unlock the potential for approximately 17,000 new homes, fundamentally transforming Liverpool’s northern waterfront. The Central Station Gateway initiative will support around 4,300 homes, alongside commercial growth and improvements in connectivity across 86 acres of the city centre.
Additionally, the PDA will empower the Liverpool City Region to take a more active role in shaping housing investments across all tenures, ensuring that funding reflects local priorities and opportunities. The commitment to increase mayoral influence over investment decisions will be complemented by initiatives to mobilise additional private and institutional investment, further supporting the delivery of new homes and the growth of local communities.
Strengthening Local Governance and Investment
The Joint Delivery Unit will serve as a cohesive team, providing a clear pathway for project delivery, developing investable project pipelines, and accelerating housing and regeneration initiatives that will shape the future of the city region. Co-chaired by representatives from each organisation, this unit will ensure a collaborative approach to achieving the ambitious goals set forth in the agreement.
PDAs build upon Homes England’s established framework of working with local communities, including its regional operating model and Strategic Place Partnerships. This new formal structure enables a stronger alignment of Homes England’s investment and expertise with locally driven priorities, thereby enhancing the role of mayors in shaping housing delivery and regeneration across their jurisdictions.
Looking ahead, Homes England aims to establish a Place Delivery Agreement with every Established Mayoral Strategic Authority (EMSA) and Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) in the coming weeks, reinforcing its commitment to supporting local ambitions through a shared dedication to fostering place-based growth and regeneration.
About Homes England and the National Housing Bank
Homes England serves as the government’s housing and regeneration agency, dedicated to increasing the availability of affordable, high-quality homes and fostering thriving communities. This mission is achieved through partnerships with a diverse range of organisations, leveraging resources, expertise, and capital to drive investment and ensure more quality homes are constructed.
The National Housing Bank, a subsidiary of Homes England, is a government-backed public finance institution that provides targeted finance to expedite housing delivery and regeneration across England. With plans to invest up to £16 billion over the next decade, the National Housing Bank aims to attract over £50 billion in private capital, thus enabling the development of more homes and the establishment of vibrant, sustainable communities.
For more information, please visit the official websites of Homes England and the National Housing Bank.
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