Liverpool Dream Community (LDC) has set out plans to take on the long-derelict former Olive Mount children's hospital in Wavertree and transform it into affordable housing with wraparound care for vulnerable communities. The site, which has sat empty and in decline since 2012, is listed for sale by Liverpool Council's property and asset management service.
Maria Michaels, founder of LDC, previously volunteered at Toxteth Women's Centre and said the project came from supporting women with housing problems. She said: "It came from volunteering with Toxteth Women's Centre and supporting women with the problems with suitable and social housing. Lots of them have been placed everywhere across the city. It escalated from there and the manager at Toxteth Women's Centre said it's a good idea."
Site details and sale process
Olive Mount on Old Mill Lane includes a main 240-year-old Georgian building, split over three properties. The Manor House was built between 1790 and 1793 for James Swan, a local tea dealer and grocer. It is a Georgian style detached four storey dwelling of stone construction with a multi-pitched slate roof requiring extensive refurbishment.
A two storey detached Attendance House, appearing to be late Victorian with traditional brick construction and a multi-pitch tiled roof, is also on site and in need of full refurbishment. A single storey former lodge sits in "significant" grounds. Access is directly from Mill Lane, with car parking to the side and rear of the Manor House, and a private road leads to the Attendance House and to Princes School at the eastern end of the site.
According to sale details, Liverpool Council is not bound to accept the highest financial offer, giving LDC hope it could secure the properties. The site will be disposed of by way of an informal tender, with interested parties asked to forward expressions of interest based on a reasonable market value offer.
Community vision and support
Maria said she had spoken to departments at Liverpool John Moores University for support around designs for the building should LDC secure it. Listings indicate the site would be suitable for redevelopment including housing following demolition of the two smaller buildings.
LDC wants to reimagine the area as a sustainable, inclusive village including childcare, access to health services, education, and financial guidance. Maria said the designs would "strengthen existing services" and explained the organisation's status: "We set up as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) at first but are in the process of becoming a community interest company (CIC)."
She added: "We don't want to replace or repeat anything, we want to strengthen the existing services. We've just got to put forward whatever we have for the deadline. There's no way we're going to afford the commercial value but hopefully they'll see the social value it can deliver."
