Forced sale could go ahead for long derelict Granby home

Council keeping its options open after owner finally comes forward

by Lisa Rand

A Granby home which has lain empty for nearly two decades could soon be in the possession of Liverpool Council after a local authority report agreed to press ahead with confirming a Compulsory Purchase Order approved by the government last year.

The property, at 7 Beaconsfield Street, has been empty for nearly 20 years and classed as derelict for 12, according to a council report. In 2025, the council made a Compulsory Purchase Order on the property in a bid to get the title, after stating it had cost the local authority more than £12k over recent years because of its poor condition.

Numerous complaints have been made by local residents, leading to various actions and orders by the council, which said it had made ‘exhaustive’ attempts at finding the owners.

The local authority owns the property next door and said that it said it has struggled to sell it due to the conditions at No. 7, which a council report noted to have potential structural issues as well as being in generally poor condition.

Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) are legal mechanisms that can be used by authorities to gain ownership of properties without the consent of those who own them. It‘s a process that requires many hurdles to be overcome, including getting consent from a government minister, which the council received last year.

In a twist to the saga, after the CPO was signed off by the secretary of state, it appears the owner came forward, stating they intend to refurbish the property, leaving the council then faced with a decision - take it back anyway or give the owner a chance.

In a report published this week, the council appears to be keeping its options open having agreed to confirm the CPO while continuing to engage with the owner, who has supplied some quotes and details of a loan to get the property repaired.

The council has decided it would like to retain the right to buy it anyway, in case any problems appear down the line, with the report stating the local authority will now have three years to decide whether or not to buy it back.

You can read more about the decision here