A £65m housing scheme looking onto Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium has been completed as part of regeneration of the city's Northern Docks. After almost three years, Torus has finalised work on the 195-home canalside development at Hartley Locks.
The scheme on Lightbody Street comprises of 185 apartments and a further 10 townhouses. The properties will be managed on a rent-to-buy basis.
Completion of the Hartley Locks project also included major redevelopment of a row of historic railway arches for commercial use, which is anticipated to create new jobs in the area. It is hoped the new homes can bolster further developments in the north of the city.
Steve Coffey, Torus group chief executive, said: "Hartley Locks is a landmark development that meets overwhelming demand for high-quality housing in North Liverpool and lets people take their first step on the property ladder. It has paved the way for wider regeneration nearby giving others confidence to invest and this will only increase now construction work has completed and people are living there.
"We have a lot of existing homes in the vicinity and our new partnership with Liverpool Council to accelerate place-based, housing-led regeneration in North Liverpool will really see us transform affordable housing options in the area."
Funding for the scheme came through an investment of £55m from Torus alongside an additional £6.8m grant from Homes England. Almost £3m was made available from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority's Brownfield Land fund.
Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool Council, said: "This is exactly the kind of high‐quality, forward‐looking development our city needs. Hartley Locks demonstrates how ambitious housing delivery and cutting‐edge sustainability can go hand in hand.
"Connecting homes to the Ƶ's largest water‐source heat pump and Mersey Heat's network will cut carbon and future‐proof these neighbourhoods. The sensitive restoration of the Stanley Flight Canal Locks, the creation of new commercial space and the jobs this brings show regeneration that respects our heritage while unlocking real opportunity.
"We welcome Torus's investment and the strong partnership with Homes England and the Liverpool City Region. Together we will continue to drive housing‐led renewal so people can live affordably, sustainably and close to the services and jobs they need."
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, added: "Hartley Locks is a fantastic example of the kind of transformational regeneration we are delivering across our region – building the high-quality, affordable homes that local people need, while leading the way in cutting-edge green technology. I'm delighted we could help towards funding this development. By doing so, we're not only breathing new life into a historic part of North Liverpool, but also supporting jobs, investment and opportunity for years to come."
The constrained derelict brownfield site was incredibly complicated to develop. The listed canal basin underneath Hartley Locks dates back to 1848 and required contractor, Eric Wright Construction, to create a temporary dam by piledriving a 21-metre steel sheet into the bed of the grade II listed basin so it could be drained allowing foundations to be laid.
Using a floating pontoon, the original masonry and brickwork of the canal basin was repaired and repointed and the original sandstone boundary wall reinstated. James Eager, Eric Wright Construction Director, said: "We are proud to deliver this landmark residential development for Torus in the heart of Liverpool.
"The successful completion of Hartley Locks, Lightbody Street is testament to the dedication, skill and collaborative spirit of everyone involved. Building next to the historic Leeds-Liverpool Canal and one of the busiest arterial routes into the city centre presented unique challenges, from creating a cofferdam to installing the foundations whilst protecting the local environment, to creating retail space under the Merseyrail commuter route.
"Overcoming these challenges has made the achievement even more rewarding. Hartley Locks is more than just new homes – it is a vibrant, sustainable community that reflects our commitment to excellence and to supporting Torus' vision for high-quality, affordable housing that will benefit Liverpool for generations to come."
