Community led housing programme

This programme allows eligible third-sector organisations to bid for vacant council-owned land and property in order to deliver community led housing developments in Liverpool.

What is community led housing (CLH)?

Community led housing is when a community group or organisation owns or manages homes with the consent of the local community.

There must be:

• meaningful community engagement and consent throughout the development process. Communities do not necessarily have to initiate the scheme or build homes themselves, but must be involved in the decision-making process.
• commitment to a long-term role to own, manage or steward the homes, supported by a business case. This may be delivered in partnership with registered providers who may own the freehold or leasehold of the land or property.
• clearly defined social value benefits to the local area and community, legally protected in perpetuity - such as those set out in the council's Social Value Policy.

What are the aims of the programme?

The transfer of land or buildings from council ownership is designed to encourage the growth of community led housing throughout the city region and help:

• deliver affordable housing
• increase housing supply, choice, quality and support
• help our ageing population
• regenerate neighbourhoods
• improve the quality of renting
• tackle homelessness

What organisations can apply?

The third sector organisations eligible for the community-led housing programme include:

• a company limited by guarantee registered as a charity with the Charity Commission
• a charitable incorporated association
• a community interest company limited by guarantee without shares whose articles of association comply with Schedule 1 from the CIC (Community Interest Company) Regulations 2005
• a community interest company limited by guarantee with a share capital, or company limited by shares that only pay dividends to asset-locked bodies, whose articles of association comply with Schedule 2 from the CIC Regulations 2005
• an industrial and provident society registered before 2014
• a community benefits society registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014

How to apply

There is a three-stage process for community-led housing asset disposal with several steps in between.

Stage 1- submit expression of interest 
Stage 2 - draft business planning and feasibility
Stage 3 - get planning consent and delivery

• Three stage process map

  Download this document: Three stage process map (PDF: 61 KB)

  This flowchart highlights the 3 stage process with timescales from when you submit an Expression of Interest through to project delivery.

Stage 1- submit an expression of interest 

Organisations that meet the eligibility criteria can express an interest in one or more of the lots.

We welcome expressions of interest at any time – but if the asset you are interested in is not included in the programme, we cannot guarantee that it will be made available.

When the programme reopens, we recommend you read the following documents in full before you submit your expression of interest:

• Community Led Housing Asset Disposal Policy

  Download this document: Community Led Housing Asset Disposal Policy (PDF: 267 KB)

  This policy sets out the purpose, approach and responsibilities for CLH asset disposal. It includes details about eligible organisations and schemes, the disposal programme, application process and governance arrangements.

• Guidance and support for Liverpool projects

  Download this document: Guidance and support for Liverpool projects (PDF: 268 KB)

  This guidance aims to give you an overview of how you could establish a Community Led Housing project and the support available.

• Stage 1: EOI application evaluation process

  Download this document: Stage 1: EOI application evaluation process (DOCX: 83 KB)

  This is the criteria we will use to evaluate and score your expression of interest for Stage 1.

What happens next?

If successful, and we endorse your expression of interest, we will invite you to submit a full business and costed development plan and discuss our expectations with you.

We have produced a business plan example template, which details all the information we need and you can use this to form your plan.

If your full business and costed development plan is approved we will issue a conditional offer, subject to planning consent and other statutory requirements. This will include completion dates for the exchange of contracts, asset disposal and site development. Once all contract provisions have been met, we will hand over the land or building to the community group.

Further information

If you require further information on the programme please email CLH@liverpool.gov.uk. You may submit queries about sites at any time via this email address, but we cannot guarantee that they will become available through this programme.