Speaking at the Chartered Institute for Housing conference in Manchester, Pickles said over £53m will be released from the Government’s Local Infrastructure Fund to accelerate construction of more than 7,000 homes on large developments in Manchester, Medway, Swindon and Kettering.
A further £49m is also to be released from the Government’s Build to Rent programme to support projects in Hampshire and Croydon.
This funding will help deliver over 540 homes specifically for private rent, bringing the total number of homes supported through the programme so far to over 1,600
A new £3m fund is being made available to help planning authorities tackle barriers to work starting on site.
This will give authorities additional capacity to focus on issues such as finalising section 106 agreements and signing off planning conditions, to help get work started on sites as quickly as possible.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: “The investment we’re announcing will help us meet this challenge by driving up the supply of new homes in every corner of the housing market. From new places for rent to people designing to those building their own properties – we will support and deliver the homes this country needs.”
New projects
New Local Infrastructure Fund projects
Manchester City Fringe: £18.8m will unlock 1,500 new homes on the Collyhurst, Ancoats and Lower Irk Valley. The investment will pay for key road infrastructure and land acquisition paving the way for 7,000 homes
Medway Valley: £19.5m to unlock 2,350 new homes by funding the Medway Valley Crossing, essential infrastructure required to deliver two remaining residential sites on the east bank of the River Medway
Tadpole Farm: £5.5m will unlock a 1,695-home urban extension to the north of Swindon. The investment will pay for key access roads into the site, landscaping and drainage works to get the site ready for housing
Kettering: £14.5m for site infrastructure to unlock the first 1,750 new homes of a proposed 5,500 urban extension, business and energy park to the east of Kettering.
Build to Rent
The funding released will support the delivery of new homes for private rent on three new sites under the Build to Rent programme, bringing the total to over 1,600 homes.
Berewood, Hampshire: £6.3m loan will deliver 106 new homes
Aldershot, Hampshire: £23.7m loan delivering 219 new homes
Croydon, south London: £19.8m loan will deliver 216 new homes
