Liverpool’s first ‘home for a pound’ was completed works yesterday as part of the local council’s pilot scheme.

Last year Liverpool City Council’s pilot scheme aimed to sell 20 of its properties for just £1 in the Granby Four Streets, Arnside Road in Kensington and Webster Triangle East in Picton.

The very first applicant for the scheme and self-employed taxi driver, Jayalal Madde, 49, put  finances in place for the refurbishment works in order to bring his property up to Decent Home Standard. He now plans to move into the property in time for Christmas.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, was pleased to have been shown round Mr Madde’s new home and hopes this will be the start of even more housing development in the city.

“I know from my conversations with him that he has a genuine commitment to the area, and it is great to know that a once run down property has been lovingly transformed into a home for his family, and will also help contribute to making the local area more attractive and sustainable.

“This is a really creative scheme, but is just part of the overall picture. Across the city, we’ve already brought more than 1,300 properties back into use over the last two years, and through our housing development partners we are committed to making sure another 1,000 are renovated.”

Redevelopment works are currently being completed on six other Homes for a Pound properties. The remaining premises will be given to their new owners at the start of 2015 taking the total number to 20.

The Council has wider plans to bring 179 homes back into use in the Granby, Picton and Arnside Road areas of Liverpool where applicants for the scheme must live or work in Liverpool and agree to live in the property for at least five years.

Assistant Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Ann O’Byrne, said that home ownership is important to local people and this is the reason for the scheme.

“It is just one of a range of measures that we are using to bring properties back into use, such as working with housing associations and developers,” she said.

“We are not pretending it is the answer to the issues with empty housing stock in Liverpool, but it is one of the tools now at our disposal.

“This scheme is very exciting but has not been without its challenges, particularly around securing house insurance for the owners and getting the utilities reconnected, but by working closely with Mr Madde and the other owners we are really making good progress now.”