Housing association to build 1,700 more homes after £50m banking deal
Livv Housing Group will develop an extra 1,700 new homes over the next five years after clinching a £50m funding deal with banking group NatWest.
The cash will also be used to retrofit existing properties throughout the housing association’s 13,000-strong portfolio across Liverpool and the North West, to improve their EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating.
Livv Housing Group saw its governance rating upgraded by the Regulator of Social Housing to G1 – the highest possible rating in social housing – in 2022 following a three-and-a-half-year improvement journey.
The finance deal with NatWest, a new funding partnership for the housing provider, now marks the next steps of the organisation’s ambitions to provide high quality homes while achieving positive impact and creating flourishing communities.
Howard Roberts, executive director of finance and property at Livv Housing Group, said: “This new finance package with NatWest really represents a key milestone for us and demonstrates how far we’ve come over the last few years. The package will enable us to not only build more new, affordable homes for local people but also to fund investment work into existing homes to improve energy efficiency and EPC ratings, benefiting our existing customers.
“As well as providing first class homes to rent or buy, we work with our partners to support our customers and communities, tackling tough issues like unemployment, poverty, domestic violence, mental health and anti-social behaviour.
“Our new partnership with NatWest will help us to build on our work over the last few years and drive forward our future growth and investment ambitions.”
Martin Skinner, director, housing finance at NatWest, said: “Livv Housing Group’s improvement journey is a real testament to the organisation’s desire and determination to provide the very best housing and support they can for the people of the Liverpool City Region and the North West.
“It is fantastic to be able to come together on a new finance package that will help create more affordable and sustainable homes across the region, as well as supporting the people that live in them.”
Livv Housing Group employs almost 500 people from its base in Prescot, Knowsley.
