Delighted mum Alison Parker and her family are settling into a new home with all the space they need… after more than £5m was invested in transforming parts of North Liverpool.
Cobalt Housing has now completed building work on 62 new flats and houses on Landford Avenue in Sparrow Hall, with all the properties snapped up for affordable rent.
And the housing association has also given a new lease of life to five homes which had stood empty for more than two years on Stonedale Crescent in nearby Croxteth.
The four-bedroom houses – which were once a target for anti-social behaviour – have had new kitchens, heating, roofing and other improvements carried out, as part of Cobalt’s commitment to improving the Stonedale estate.
For Alison, 43, partner Andy Lea, 45, and children Maisy, 8, Amy, 14, and Thomas, 22, it means they’ve got the room they need after struggling for space in their former home.
Maisy, who has autism, now has her own bedroom which is also great news for Amy, who had been sharing a room with her younger sibling before.
“The house is amazing – it’s gorgeous – and it’ll be great for us all to have our own space now,” said Alison. “My youngest daughter has autism and doesn’t sleep well through the night, so for the kids to have their own bedrooms will make such a difference.
“The house we were in only had one reception room and sometimes I’d just go to the bathroom for a few minutes for some peace and quiet! There’s somewhere for everybody to go now and we’re close to my mum’s as well. She lives nearby and is made up.”
Alison joined staff from Cobalt and contractors A Connolly Ltd, who carried out the improvement work, to mark completion of the project last week.
A further £400,000 is being spent by Cobalt on new roofs, pathways and walls at more than 50 other homes in Stonedale.
Meanwhile, the final stages of building work on Cobalt’s 62 new homes at Landford Avenue, Sparrow Hall, has also been completed. Construction of the two-bedroom houses and one- and two-bedroom flats has seen more than £4million invested, including funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
Cobalt Housing managing director Alan Rogers said: “Between the new homes at Sparrow Hall and the improvements we’ve carried out in Stonedale, more than £5m is being invested in improving these neighbourhoods, which is great for this part of Liverpool.
“Not only does it mean more affordable homes for people who need them, but it’s also contributing to the local economy and supporting jobs.”
Simon Harrison, managing director at A Connolly Ltd, added: “We worked closely with Cobalt and local residents while the refurbishments were undertaken, and it’s great to see the positive impact the improvement work has had.”