§ Mr. Hefferasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Liverpool City Council regarding the proposed building of houses on the land in Walton, Liverpool, known as the Walton Triangle; whether he has agreed to the proposals of the city council; whether he has proposed any modifications; and when a start is likely to be made in view of the housing needs in the area.
§ Mr. FreesonOfficers of the Department's North-West Regional Office met representatives of Liverpool City Council on 9th December 1976 and again on 27th January 1977 to discuss proposals for housing development on the Walton Triangle site.
The Department has substantially agreed to the city council's proposals. In March the Department issued loan sanction for £219,221 under the Community Land Act for acquistion and associated costs in connection with the site On 26th April a further loan sanction of £932,100 was issued under the Community Land Act for site clearance, demolition and pre-development works.
The only modification by the Department to the proposal put forward by the city council is that the cost of the spine road linking the Walton Hall access road and the access point to Rice Lane, estimated to be £393,400, should be excluded from the cost of the predevelopment works carried by the Community Land Account and instead apportioned to the developers carrying out the five phases of housing development.
The development is to take place in five phases, involving 1,000 dwellings in total. Two phases of the development are for rent and three for sale. Liverpool City Council's present plans envisage that tenders in respect of the three phases of the "Build for Sale" scheme involving 600 dwellings should be invited in July next. It is anticipated that tenders for phase I of the rented scheme involving 190 dwellings be accepted in October 1977 and building with commence in January 1978. Construction of a new access road essential to phase 2 of the rented scheme is dependent on confirma- 312W tion of the Sandon Road compulsory purchase order only recently submitted to the Department for confirmation.