Housing People, Building Communities’ (HPBC) initial aim was to build 32 affordable homes in the Granby-Toxteth area of Liverpool using a unique model which combines sweat equity and shared ownership. In doing so we hoped to engage with the local community, offer volunteer and training opportunities, and facilitate the growth of a diverse, cohesive and sustainable community.

The Kingsley Road/Alt St project is now complete and we are currently working in partnership with Onward Housing on a conversion and refurbishment of St Bernard’s Catholic Church to create sixteen new homes. Within the Church conversion we will have eleven 3-storey townhouses, being a mix of 3- and 4-bedroom homes. We are also building four 2-bedroom ‘cottage style’ apartments and a 3-bedroom detached house.

We are continuing to promote community-led housing and are enabling affordable home purchase for lower income people in Liverpool to buy via our ‘Sweat Equity and Shared Ownership’ model.

Our pioneering approach combines self-build, volunteering and corporate philanthropy in a unique way. Our home partners help to build the homes they will ultimately live in, working alongside volunteers from all over the world and using products, services and materials donated by some of the biggest corporate names.

HPBC has won several awards, including a Special Achievement Award at the North West Property Awards 2017, Best Collective or Group Self Build Project at the 2016 Build It Awards, and Highly Commended as Housing Project of the Year at the Builder and Engineer Awards 2015.

We’ve featured as a case study on the National Custom and Self-Build Association (NaCSBA) self-build portal and in the Build-it-yourself Report from Lloyds Banking Group & the Centre for Housing Policy at the University of York. We are supported by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Self-Build, Custom-Build and Independent Housebuilding, as well as the Building and Social Housing Foundation UK team.