An open letter from Homebaked CLT
Dear Friends, Peers and Supporters,
For nearly a decade, we have been advocating for and working towards the community ownership of Oakfield Terrace, motivated by the pressing need for quality and long-term affordable homes in Anfield/Everton.
We are worried about the increase in poor-quality private rented sector properties and houses in multiple occupations (HMO), and homes turned into Airbnbs. We are concerned about private developers investing in homes to turn a profit, trapping people in unaffordable, hard to heat homes. We believe our communities deserve better.
We fully understand the challenges facing our council - and so many other councils around the country - in light of the housing crisis and the need to make more homes available. We feel this keenly here in Anfield and Everton.
It is for that reason that Homebaked CLT’s work, led by our members and other local stakeholders, has centred and prioritised the Oakfield Terrace scheme - a vision for 8 quality homes with long-term affordable rents and low energy bills, along with a community home that houses the community-led regeneration activities of our members and other local stakeholders. We felt we were closer than ever to realising this vision, despite the many years of delays due mainly to pressures and challenges outside of our control, including COVID, the recent turmoil within our local authority and sharply rising construction costs across the continent. Our project was held up as an exemplary public-civic partnership in value-driven neighbourhood regeneration.
At a Liverpool City Council Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 10th December 2024, it was decided that Oakfield Terrace would be sold on the open market, signalling the council's intention to stop working with our community for the transfer of the terrace into community ownership.
Whilst we fully appreciate the pressures Liverpool City Council have been under in the last years, we are disappointed and concerned about the narrative advanced at the latest cabinet meeting, which takes the delivery issues out of context and reflects poorly on our organisation and on the reputation of community-led housing in the region.
We have a proven ability to deliver, having invested £300,000 into renovating the bakery and flat above (phase 1 of the terrace development work), our support for other local enterprises such as Kitty’s Laundrette, and our emerging community-powered retrofit work with the Cosy Homes Club. This body of work is recognised locally and nationally as an exemplar. We fully appreciate that the rest of the terrace scheme has undergone many complications, and wish it had proved possible to deliver it more quickly. Despite difficult external political and economic circumstances, the CLT has been highly professional, resilient and creative in developing and adapting its delivery model and business and finance plan and in securing substantial capital investment. After delays caused planning for the scheme to lapse, a new application is already in the process of being prepared. A clear delivery pathway supported by funders and partners, as well as our professional team has been prepared and was shared with LCC in October 2024.
The kitchen in the flat above the bakery, completed during phase 1 of the terrace development work.
We are left asking what this cabinet report means for community groups and cooperatives across the city. For many, this decision signals a vote of no confidence in community powered initiatives. Why was no further scrutiny pushed for within the council on a decision of this magnitude - a decision which will undo years of work from our community and the council?
And we are concerned what this decision will mean for the site and for our communities. We are worried that Oakfield Terrace will be turned into low quality, hard to heat homes.
At the Cabinet meeting we heard from the City Council about the housing strategy for the city - which includes a commitment of the council to be a good partner in developing houses, to retrofitting and making homes fit for the future, to looking at small sites as opportunities. We fully support this strategy. We want communities to have a role in this, to be able to play a part. Because we believe that we, and groups like ours, will be able to deliver high quality, raise ambitions and be part of the best solution.
We are steadfast in our commitment as a community-led organisation to develop the plans for Oakfield Terrace. It is our intention to find a partner that will enable us to bid on the site when it becomes available on the open market. We know the buildings inside and out and understand the local context and we believe that our vision for warm and affordable homes for Oakfield Terrace is what the people in our area want and deserve.
We are also open to those who want to help us realise this vision. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Yours,
Homebaked CLT