Sefton Council has approved the disposal of five council-owned sites to deliver around 230 affordable homes, part of a wider plan to bring 1,000 new homes to the area by 2030. The council moved to reassure residents concerned about school and GP capacity as more than 200 new households are expected to settle in the borough.
Last Thursday, the council's cabinet approved the land sale agreements for sites at Back Forest Road, the former Bootle High School, former Dale Acre School in Harps Croft, former St Raymond's playing fields, and the former Rawson Road School site. The new homes will be built across Southport, Netherton, Bootle, and Seaforth.
Partnership with The Sovini Group
The council is working in partnership with The Sovini Group to deliver 1,000 new homes by the end of the decade. Planning applications will still need to be approved, with residents given the opportunity to comment before any official decisions are made.
The former school sites will be transformed into housing, which the council has acknowledged as a huge priority. The announcement follows coverage by the ECHO, where a commenter on the website asked: "Will that include new doctor surgeries and more schools."
Housing pressures and infrastructure concerns
Cllr Hart, cabinet member for housing and highways, said: "Pressures are being faced across housing services, with more than 230 households currently in temporary accommodation in Sefton with 65 of these households being families with children. Approximately 3,000 households are currently registered as being in need of housing."
"We fully understand that residents will want reassurance that local services and infrastructure will be considered, as always, alongside plans for housing that would be created through the Sefton 2030 partnership."
Planning process and community consultation
Any proposal brought forward through Sefton 2030 will be subject to the full planning process, including robust assessments of potential impacts on infrastructure such as schools, healthcare, transport, and other community services before decisions are made. Relevant organisations, including education and healthcare providers, are consulted as part of that process, and where additional capacity or improvements are needed, developers will be required to contribute towards supporting infrastructure.
Residents will have opportunities to review plans and share their views through consultation led by The Sovini Group and the formal planning process. Cllr Hart added: "By delivering new quality affordable homes, Sefton 2030 will help meet local housing needs and strengthen communities for the future. And it will support local employment, strengthen regional supply chains, create training and apprenticeship opportunities, and champion independent businesses across the City Region."
