‘Game changing’ funds allocated to support brownfield regeneration

The government have earmarked £80m to help develop council-owned brownfield sites in an effort to deliver much needed homes.

At the beginning of this week, the department for levelling up, housing and communities announced that the final round of the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 would be made available to councils across England so they can bid for money to transform any local areas. 

The funds are set to release land for over 8,000 new homes by March 2028. As a result, numerous construction jobs will become available.

Against this backdrop, the full brownfield fund, which was launched in July 2022, is due to deliver over 17,600 new homes and 56,000 skilled new jobs over the next four years.

‘We want to build the new homes people need and brownfield land is crucial to delivering the long-term plan for housing, as part of our mission to level up the country,’ Lee Rowley, minister for housing said. ‘This fund will transform unloved and unused brownfield sites into thriving new communities, helping more young families on to the property ladder and creating thousands of jobs.’

Mr Rowley added: ‘This is a game changer for councils, and I strongly encourage them to apply and reap the benefits in their local areas.’

News of the government releasing this huge pot of funding comes as part of the £10bn that has been announced over this Parliament to invest in projects that will ultimately boost housing supply.

Alex Burghart, cabinet officer minister, said: ‘This funding will help unlock much-needed redevelopment of unloved, previously derelict brownfield sites: stimulating growth, investment, and job opportunities.

‘It’s fantastic news for business, and even better news for local people who will now see new family homes in their communities.’