The awards to councils from Hull to Somerset will support nearly 100 regeneration projects.

The investment is part of the second phase of the £180m Brownfield Land Release Fund, with cash going directly to councils so they can release the land and get building as soon as possible.

Projects that will benefit from the scheme include:

Newcastle: £1.82m to boost wider regeneration by releasing a complex site to deliver 146 build-to-rent homes for communities in Benwell and Scotswood.
Hull: delivering 99 new homes for affordable rent on the site of a derelict school, backed by £980,000 Government funding as part of the city centre regeneration.
Sunderland: turning a former riverside industrial site that has been unused for over 20 years into 140 low-carbon build to rent homes at Farringdon Row, with £1.8m for Sunderland Council to kick-start the project.

This builds on the success of the first round of Brownfield Land Release Fund 2, where funding is enabling the release of land for almost 2,400 homes.

To date, the fund is supporting at least 89 local authorities, over 160 projects, and providing almost £100m to support councils to release land for almost 8,600 homes.

Applications for the final round of £80m funding are due in by Spring 2024.