The Brownfield Land Release Fund

The Brownfield Land Release Fund will pledge up to £180 million capital grant funding to support The Government’s Levelling Up ambitions, it has been announced. The Fund will enable Councils to achieve these rebalancing ambitions and regenerating places by unlock land and developing renewed pride in place through newly empowered local leaders.

 

The Government have reiterated their stance that they are keen to prioritise the delivering high-quality new homes across England, a stance welcomed by councils across our region who are keen to address long-standing shortages in local stock and delivery of homes, in order to meet local needs and address their placemaking priorities. The aim of this programme is to identify and realise the potential of small, council-owned brownfield sites which have been found to have restricted viability in the past. The fund aims to utilise public assets to stimulate the growth of innovative delivery and the adoption of modern methods of constructions, supporting SMEs where possible.

NHC data from the Northern Housing Monitor shows that the housing brownfield capacity across the North is over 300,000 homes across 5,158 sites and comprising 7,571 hectares, and that remediating brownfield housing land could cost £3.8 billion.

The funding is designed to eradicate these viability issues, which include but are not limited to site levelling, groundworks, demolition, remediation; provision of small-scale infrastructure; highways works or other access challenges; and addressing environmental constraints. The first stage of applications opens shortly, with £40m available and first assessment point deadline for applications on 19th August. There will be £60 and £80m off funding available in the second and third stages through until 2025. All local authorities across England are eligible to apply.