Community secretary Ruth Kelly has given the go-ahead to demolish thousands of homes in Liverpool after CABE withdrew its objection to the schemes that will replace them.

Kelly told Liverpool council that she had lifted the article 14 notice preventing the implementation of the New Heartlands pathfinder’s scheme, which is intended to regenerate the Anfield, Breckfield, Edge Hill and Picton areas of the city.

Kelly issued the notice after the council ignored CABE’s design review panel advice that it should not grant planning permission for the clearance.

CABE then formally objected to the council’s proposed compulsory purchase order, triggering Kelly’s intervention.