The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has announced thousands of new homes are to be built on underused and derelict land, helping regenerate local areas and help people onto the property ladder.
Out of the overall £75m Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) funding pot, almost £58m has already been allocated to 53 councils.
The funding will help local authorities fund the demolition of unsightly derelict buildings and disused car parks and garages, transforming local areas and creating new opportunities for the construction of housing on brownfield rather than greenfield sites.
It is estimated this will allow for an extra 5,600 homes to be built, without impacting countryside or green space in these regions.
In preparing for and delivering these projects, the funding is also expected to be able to support up to 17,000 jobs across the housing and construction sector, as well as the wider economy.
Included within the latest allocations are a £5m funding award 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.
Richard Bacon MP, representing South Norfolk, recently authored an independent review into scaling up self-build and custom housebuilding, and explained the case for this type of housebuilding in our latest PSE digital magazine.
Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove MP said: “We are levelling up and backing home ownership 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.”
Cabinet Office Minister, Lord Agnew, added: “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.
