Exciting plans to transform an abandoned Anfield road into a mini 'hipster village' featuring a micro-brewery, bakery and "tasting room" have been unveiled.
Developers Homebaked Community Land Trust (CLT) are seeking to re-vamp a derelict row of nine terrace houses at the back of Liverpool Football Club into a community hub featuring shops, independent businesses and apartments.
An application submitted to Liverpool City Council this week describes the proposals as a "catalyst for re-generation" and part of a wider project to explore how empty terraces in Anfield could be re-purposed to give the deprived neighbourhood the "wow factor".
If approved, the lengthy stretch of homes on Oakfield Road will be completely unrecognisable - as these images show.
Planning documents say the refurbished properties could be converted into a huge array of facilities including:
- Eight residential units of varying size and form
- Space for local and community business, including a micro-brewery
- Space to expand the existing Homebaked bakery
- Pop-up retails and community activities
- Two smaller commercial spaces are for non-food retail or office use by local and start-up businesses.
- Homebaked, the developer, is a community land trust (CLT) that runs a bakery from a former terraced house on Oakfield Road.
A Design and Access statement outlining the ambitious proposals states: "This is a community-led development, with a focus on local desires and needs. Homebaked CLT believes the people it serves deserve a beautiful, secure, warm and environmentally sound development that enhances the well-being and prospects of the people who live and work there".
Pictures submitted showed the properties earmarked for re-development are in derelict conditions, with some having been unoccupied for over a decade.
But if the plans are approved, the nine empty homes will be brought back to life with a range of residential and commercial uses.
Plans for housing include a one-bedroom flat with a private roof terrace, a fully accessible ground floor two-bedroom apartments, a number of two bed flats and maisonettes and two traditional three bed houses.
Completing the picture, local businesses and community activities will take over the rest of the space to "provide the spark for the renewal of the local high street".
One unit is being reserved for social enterprise company Homegrown Collective, who will run a commercial community training brewery and a community social hub for social events.
Ideas for the social hub include a community kitchen, a pop-up produce market, a space to sell local craft beer and a "tasting room" for sharing and testing locally made drinks.
Other non-residential units are being reserved for independent businesses or start ups.
Although the nature of these haven't been confirmed, ideas mooted in the planning document include a hair dressers and barbers or craft based retail store.
It is hoped the project, dubbed The Oakfield Road terrace refurbishment project, will spur wider regeneration along the road.
The plans have taken three years to produce, with owners of the project consulting with 900 Anfield residents before putting their ambitious proposals forward.
Their Design and Access statement said: "The CLT’s hope is that though space is limited within this terrace, this can provide inspiration and in the longer term potentially support for other spaces along the local high street to be opened up to local business and public-facing uses. There are currently many empty spaces along the street that could be given a new life if this project is able to act as an incubator and inspiration."
Successful stories of regeneration in other parts of Liverpool include the Baltic Triangle, a hipster mecca and creative hub that was only recently abandoned wasteland, and the neighbourhood around Granby Street, which was revitalised by a Community Land Trust similar to that in Anfield.
