Plans to breathe new life into housing in Anfield in Liverpool are taking shape, with the announcement that over 370 properties previously earmarked for demolition are to be saved.

Agreement has been reached between the city council, residents and partners to retain and refurbish the properties as part of the £25 million 'Anfield Village' plans.

The programme of work, delivered by the city council, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Your Housing, aims to drive up the quality of housing in the area and create a revitalised community where people want to live.

Under the plans - which are based upon factors such as housing demand and the condition of properties - a total of 374 homes, 168 of which are vacant, will now be retained and refurbished. A further 224 houses, 116 of which are vacant, will be demolished.

The significant step forward for the scheme follows several months of consultation with residents and partners through the Anfield Village Stakeholders Group, which has given local people the opportunity to discuss the proposals for the area and air their views.

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All local residents affected by the plans have been consulted, with the vast majority of those who responded being in favour.

Consultation in the demolition areas received approval rates from residents of between 72 per cent and 88 per cent.

And the proposals to retain and refurbish 374 properties received the support of 72 per cent of residents who responded.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said: "This is great news for Anfield and marks a major milestone for this important scheme. Residents have waited too long for this work to happen, and have been rightly concerned and frustrated. I'm delighted that we are now working effectively with our partners to drive forward these plans and build a better future for the area.

"I have pledged to build 5,000 homes in Liverpool over the next four years, and I’ve also made it a priority for the city to refurbish more homes than we demolish. Although some demolition is still necessary as part of these plans, this is a good example of how we are listening to local people and working with them to bring homes back into use.

"It's really important that the community is on-board with these plans, so I’m delighted that these plans have received such a high level of backing from residents. We can now press on with delivering these vital housing improvements over the coming weeks and months to create a new Anfield where people are proud to live."

(CD/GK)