£6.1m development brings 26 new affordable homes to Merseyside town

It is a part of a wider regeneration project in Whiston that saw the completion of phase one back in 2019.

As part of the second phase of the development, Livv Housing (LH) has now opened its new show home at Berrywood. LH said the implementation of its marketing strategy represents a ‘key milestone’ in the wider Lickers Lane regeneration project.

Construction started on Livv Homes’ £6.1m affordable housing scheme in Whiston in June 2023, and the Berrywood development will create 26 new affordable homes for shared ownership and Rent-to-Buy (RTB).

Berrywood will comprise a mixture of two and three-bedroom properties. Seven homes will be available for shared ownership, and the remaining 19 will be available for RTB. A new road, Quistan Way, has also been built to enable improved access to the development.

Rent to Buy schemes allow households to rent their home at 80% of the market rate while saving for a deposit over a period of up to five years. Shared ownership buyers can purchase an initial 10-75% share of a home, paying rent on the remainder, with the option to gradually increase their ownership to 100%.

Livv Housing said these new homes are helping to meet the growing demand for ‘quality, affordable housing’ in Knowsley.

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Yvonne Westhead-Fyles, Director of Development at Livv Housing Group, added: “After successfully delivering 28 homes for affordable rent in phase one, we’re proud to introduce home ownership opportunities to the area and give more people the opportunity to get on the property ladder.

“Our stunning new homes demonstrate how affordability and modern-day living can go hand in hand.

“This regeneration reflects our commitment to investing in people and place, providing opportunities for local people and transforming this area into a vibrant community where individuals and families can thrive.”

Livv Housing secured funding from Liverpool City Region’s Brownfield Land Fund and government funding via Homes England to deliver the scheme. Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Everyone in our region deserves the chance to live in a safe, secure and affordable home.

“Through our Brownfield Land Fund, we’re helping to unlock disused sites like this one in Whiston and turn them into thriving neighbourhoods.

“The completion of this next phase at Berrywood is another step forward in our mission to build a fairer, more inclusive Liverpool City Region – and I’m really pleased to see local families starting to benefit from the investment we’ve made.”

At the breaking of ground ceremony back in 2023, Cllr Tony Brennan, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “It’ll help meet the demand in the local area and provide a wider choice for new and existing residents to buy their properties through both the Rent to Buy and shared ownership models”