Liverpool Council is formally signing off the handover of garden and driveway land to 14 properties in Anfield Village, six years after the environmental improvement work they replace was completed.
More than a decade ago, work began to demolish more than 200 mostly derelict homes in the area as part of a £25m scheme. Among these were poor quality end of terrace properties, which were replaced by landscaping to improve the streetscape.
This formed part of the wider comprehensive Anfield Regeneration Programme, which is ongoing to this day.
Private gardens and driveways
As part of the approval, private gardens and driveways were created for the new end terrace properties, providing greater enclosed space from the newly created public realm. This work was finished six years ago.
The intention was to remove visual blight, address poor perception of the area, and create a revitalised, greener and more sustainable neighbourhood.
The council completed demolition of the homes in 2018. Around 600 were expected to be knocked down initially, with more than half saved from the bulldozers and subsequently refurbished.
Land transfer finalised
Your Housing Limited (YHL) and Liverpool Council coordinated the delivery of the environmental improvements, with work finalised in 2020. This included 14 new gardens and driveways for the adjoining end terraces, communal refuse stores, and improved public realm.
In January this year, a decision was made under delegated authority for the transfer of land within Anfield Village owned by YHL, forming part of the original scheme. This land transfer was finalised, assembling all 14 garden land plots and public realm improvements into full council ownership.
When the environmental improvements were negotiated in 2012, end of terrace owners gave their written consent to the works on the basis that gardens would be created for them to provide defensible space from the newly created public areas, and that upon completion of the work they could be transferred to them.
Plans and boundaries
The council is now in a position to transfer the remaining garden and driveway land to the end of terrace owners, in line with the agreed offer letters.
The Anfield Village plans involved around 600 properties which lie in the former phases six and seven of the Anfield-Breckfield housing market renewal initiative (HMRI) area. They fall within the boundary of Back Rockfield Road, Walton Breck Road, Sleepers Hill and Gilman Street, close to Liverpool FC’s Anfield stadium.
