Purfleet-on-Thames has received £75m from central government to support the regeneration of its town centre
£75m has been secured from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), which will bring forward thousands of new homes, supporting local jobs and help Purfleet-on-Thames become safer, greener and healthier.
HIF bid proposals were submitted to Homes England in 2018 by Thurrock Council in conjunction with development partner Purfleet Centre Regeneration Limited, a joint venture between Swan Housing Association and developer Urban Catalyst.
The funding will be used by PCRL to pay for key infrastructure provision in the early phases of development, including new roads and a pedestrian and vehicular bridge over the railway line.
The funding will also support land acquisition, remediation and site preparation works.
Once completed, the £1bn regeneration of Purfleet-on-Thames will deliver a new town centre complete with shops and restaurants and new railway station. Up to 2,850 new homes will be provided as well, alongside an Integrated Medical Centre, improved transport infrastructure and a new primary school.
‘Unlocking the potential of regeneration projects’
Sir Tim Laurence, chairman of PCRL, said: “The HIF funding is a major milestone in the regeneration of Purfleet-on-Thames. It will allow us to upgrade the town’s transport links and pave the way for us to deliver thousands of new high quality homes.
“Infrastructure investment like this will be crucial to unlocking the potential of regeneration projects across the UK and to meeting the government’s ambitious housebuilding targets.
“We look forward to starting on-site with the infrastructure works in 2021 and moving one step closer to realising our vision for a greener, healthier and safer Purfleet-on-Thames.”
The Housing Infrastructure Fund is administered and monitored by the government’s housing agency, Homes England. The programme is helping to deliver up to 300,000 new homes across England by providing local authorities with grant funding for new infrastructure, to unlock homes in areas of greatest housing demand.
Sophie White, Homes England’s director of infrastructure grants, added: “We are committed to working with ambitious local authority partners seeking to meet their local housing needs through delivery of key infrastructure.
“Our multimillion-pound funding in the Purfleet-on-Thames scheme will help to address the complex infrastructure requirements and constraints associated with the development. This will in turn help unlock the housing sites and allow the council and its development partner PCRL to deliver their vision for the town centre and much needed housing growth.”
