A fresh approach to continue to drive economic growth and create strong sustainable communities across the City Region is outlined in a new Local Investment Plan signed by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the Liverpool City Region.

Since the first Liverpool City Region Local Investment Plan (2010/2011), the political and economic landscape has changed considerably – an ongoing reduction in public sector resources, a reformed planning framework and a shift towards localism. In the face of change, the overall vision remains – to support the continued drive for a thriving and distinctive city region based on global trade, knowledge, manufacturing and tourism.

This second Local Investment Plan (LIP2) sets out how the City Region will create the environment to stimulate the private sector market to accelerate growth, re-balance the economy and deliver housing and neighbourhoods where people choose to live, work and visit.

-- Advertisement --

Key objectives for LIP2 include:

•prioritising investment in transformational sectors and strategic investment locations such as Liverpool City Centre and developments along the Atlantic Gateway corridor

•overcoming barriers to commercial investment – planning; access and infrastructure; and site availability and finance

•maximising the impact of public sector investment and land assets

•increasing the scale of economic activity and developing global markets

•increasing the number of residents in work.

Housing will play a key role in supporting the City Region's economic ambitions. LIP2 has made a commitment to improve the choice and quality of homes and neighbourhoods. It will focus on ensuring existing stock is energy efficient, providing mixed tenure homes to meet the needs of local people, bringing 16,400 long-term empty properties back into use, tackling deprivation and worklessness and encouraging private sector-led housebuilding.

To support LIP2, the next Local Investment Agreement has also been signed today and sets out in greater detail our respective roles in creating quality places for Liverpool residents and supporting economic growth and prosperity. This takes account of the HCA's evolving role, as well as the opportunities offered by Liverpool’s new Mayoral arrangements and strong partnership working across the six local authorities of Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.

(CD/GK)