Thousands of new homes to be built on underused land

Thousands of new homes will be built on underused and derelict land to regenerate local areas and help people onto the property ladder.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has said that almost £58 million from the £75 million Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) has been allocated to 53 councils. It is hoped that the funding will boost local areas by transforming unloved and disused sites into vibrant communities for people to live and work, with the demolition of unsightly derelict buildings and disused car parks and garages.

Such work will help to protect countryside and green spaces while an extra 5,600 homes are built on these sites, supporting young people and families across the country into home ownership. Additionally, the funding could also support up to 17,000 jobs across the housing and construction sector and the wider economy.

Of the total funding, £5 million is being set aside for self and custom build projects. A further £20 million 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.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove 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.”

James Jamieson, Local Government Association chairman, said: “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.”