The government has announced a multi-million-pound funding boost that could unlock thousands of new homes on disused brownfield sites across the country.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has announced that £68million will go directly to 54 councils that will be able to use the money to turn neglected land into new homes, helping to transform local communities and help families onto the property ladder.
The funding, delivered through the Brownfield Land Release Fund, will mean council can clear empty buildings, former car parks and industrial land, which given the expense involved in prepare this type of land for housebuilder, means sites often lie empty and unused.
With the funding, councils will be able to cover the cost of decontamination, clearing disused buildings or improving infrastructure such as internet, water and power. As a result, land will be released to enable 5,200 homes to be built across the country.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said: “From the outset we promised to get this country building again to deliver 1.5 million homes over this parliament and help tackle the housing crisis we have inherited. That is the essence of fixing the foundations and driving growth.”
“I said this government is on the side of the builders, not the blockers. And I meant it. This funding for councils will see disused sites and industrial wastelands transformed into thousands of new homes in places that people want to live and work. Our brownfield-first approach will not only ramp up housebuilding but also create more jobs, deliver much-needed infrastructure, and boost economic growth across the country.”
“This government is rolling up its sleeves and delivering the change the British people deserve.”
Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook, said: “The government is committed to a brownfield-first approach to housebuilding, and we have already taken steps to prioritise and fast-track building on previously used urban land through our proposals for a ‘brownfield passport’.”
“The funding announced today will support the delivery of thousands of new homes and boost economic growth by unlocking development on scores of abandoned, disused and neglected urban sites across the country.”
Some of the projects to benefit from the funding include:
- £2.9million to Manchester to unlock a vacant brownfield site to build 220 affordable homes
- £2.2million to Eastbourne to transform a former industrial site, to build 100 new homes including 80 affordable houses
- Over £1.7million to the town centre in Weston-Super-Mare to allow over 100 homes to be built on brownfield land
- £1.4million to Northampton to transform a former bus depot and deliver 72 new homes
The three-year, £180million Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 was launched in July 2022 to allow local authorities in England to be able to build on blocked brownfield land.
Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association, said: “We are delighted to continue our work with MHCLG, supporting councils to access the Brownfield Land Release Fund to remediate unviable council-owned brownfield land and bring it forwards for much needed homes. Delivered through the One Public Estate programme, BLRF is an important fund for English councils to unlock smaller sites and provides the flexibility for councils to deliver the types of homes their community needs at pace.”
It has also been announced today that Homes England will be investing £30million to help accelerate the transformation of the Riverside Sunderland area from a former industrial heartland into a new community. The Brownfield Infrastructure Land (BIL) investment will support a broader project aiming to create around 1,000 new homes, new community infrastructure and one million square feet of office space for UK and international businesses, providing accommodation for between 8,000 and 10,000 jobs.
