The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has injected £58m to deliver thousands of new homes on brownfield sites
£58m from the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) has been allocated to 53 councils across the country.
The funding hopes to boost local areas by transforming brownfield sites into lively communities for people to live and work.
It will help to protect the countryside and support young families across the country into homeownership.
The housing fund has the potential to create up to 17,000 jobs across the housing and construction sector and the wider economy.
‘Levelling up and backing homeownership’
Secretary of state for levelling up, Michael Gove, said: “We are levelling up and backing homeownership in every corner of the country, delivering new high-quality, affordable homes and creating thriving places where people want to live, work and visit.
“Making the most of previously developed land is a government priority and it will help protect our cherished countryside and green spaces.
“Today’s allocations include £5m for self and custom build projects.
“A further £20m from the BLRF has also been designated to help accelerate the self and custom build sector, with councils now able to bid for the remaining funding – giving local people the opportunity to build and design their own homes.”
‘Help deliver jobs and save taxpayers’ money’
“This support being provided to local authorities is another clear demonstration of this government’s commitment to levelling up the country.
“The latest projects to benefit from this support, through Brownfield Land Release funding, will not only help unlock under-used public sector sites for homes but also help deliver jobs and save taxpayers’ money,” says Cabinet Office minister, Lord Agnew.
‘Transformation, regeneration, and new development’
Councillor James Jamieson, local government association chairman, added: “One Public Estate and Brownfield Land Release funding play a crucial role in supporting the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, and supporting councils to transform their assets, create better services, and release land for much-needed new homes and regeneration across the country.
“This latest news is more proof that this programme works.
“Councils recognise how valuable this support is, and are being ever more ambitious in their ideas to use this funding to kick-start transformation, regeneration, and new development in their communities.”
