Government announces another £68m for homes on brownfield land

Councils will receive £68 million to help build thousands of homes on disused brownfield sites, the Government has announced.

The money, spread around 54 local authorities, is expected to deliver 5,200 homes on sites such as former car parks and industrial land that can be difficult to build on.

Sir Keir Starmer, who has pledged to build 1.5 million homes over the course of this Parliament, hailed the announcement on Tuesday as an example of the Government “rolling up its sleeves and delivering the change the British people deserve”.

But the money is part of the second brownfield land release fund (BLRF2) initiated under Boris Johnson that has already awarded £95 million to help councils build an expected 6,800 homes.

This third round of the BLRF2 had made up to £80 million available, but only £68 million has been awarded as some councils did not meet eligibility criteria.

“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.”

Projects funded by Tuesday’s announcement include £2.9 million for 220 homes on a vacant site in Manchester, £2.2 million to build 80 homes on a former industrial site in Eastbourne and £1.7 million to build more than 100 homes on brownfield land in central Weston-Super-Mare.

Homes England has also announced £30 million to help the Riverside Sunderland project looking to redevelop former industrial land just south of the Stadium of Light.

That project aims to build 1,000 homes and provide space for between 8,000 and 10,000 jobs.

Housing 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.”