Government shortlists 29 brownfield sites across England for new housing powers and share of 拢200m funding pot

Planning Houses

The government has shortlisted 29 brownfield sites across England for new housing powers.

The areas - which include sites in Bristol, Derby, Shefield and York - could be awarded 鈥榟ousing zone鈥� status by the government, making it easier and quicker to build homes on brownfield land.

The government plans to create 10 housing zones outside London, and 20 housing zones inside the capital.

Most housing zones are expected to be big enough for between 750 and 2,000 homes, but larger schemes are also being considered.

Shortlisted bids were submitted by councils working with developers, and are competing for a share of 拢200m for infrastructure and land remediation to get their ideas off the ground.

Successful zones will also have access to cheaper borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board and priority access to planning and technical support from the Homes and Communities Agency鈥檚 advisory team for large applications.

The 29 shortlisted bids announced today will now go through an assessment process which will include looking at value for money and commitment to delivering homes quickly.

Andy Rose, chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency, said: 鈥淗ousing zones are an opportunity to unlock redundant brownfield land with the potential to provide viable housing developments.

鈥淪o I am pleased to see the projects shortlisted under our programme, which will contribute to much-needed new homes and successful places.鈥�

Full shortlist

The 29 areas shortlisted to become housing zones are:

  • Thurrock Thames-Side Towns (Thurrock council)
  • Elstree Way Corridor (Hertsmere borough council)
  • Slyfield Area Regeneration Project (Guildford borough council)
  • Suffolk Rural Growth Housing Zone (Babergh and Mid-Suffolk councils)
  • Greater Gainsborough Housing Zone (West Lindsey district council)
  • Coseley Housing Zone (Dudley Metropolitan borough council)
  • Bescot Friar Park (Sandwell Metropolitan borough council)
  • Stoke City Centre Renaissance (Stoke City council)
  • Derby City Housing Zone (Derby City council)
  • Gedling Colliery (Gedling borough council)
  • Harworth, North Nottinghamshire (Bassetlaw district council)
  • Aire River Growth Corridor (Wakefield Metropolitan district council)
  • North East Lincolnshire Town Centre Living (North East Lincolnshire council)
  • York Central Housing Zone (City of York council)
  • Hoyland and Dearne Valley Housing Zone, Barnsley (Barnsley Metropolitan district council)
  • Exemplar Neighbourhood (Gateshead council)
  • Sheffield - Rotherham Don Valley Housing Zone (Sheffield City council)
  • Preston Housing Zone (Preston City council)
  • Penine-Lancashire (Blackburn with Darwen borough council)
  • Wirral Waters - North Bank East (Wirral Metropolitan borough council)
  • South Bristol HZ (Bristol City council)
  • Whitehill and Bordon (East Hampshire district council)
  • Weston Super Mare Town Centre (North Somerset council)
  • Weston Links/Avoncrest (North Somerset council)
  • Ashchurch (Tewkesbury borough council)
  • Hinkley Housing Zone (Sedgemoor district council)
  • Former Powerstation Site, Poole (borough of Poole council)
  • Foxhill (Bath and North East Somerset council)
  • Gloucester City Growth Zone (Gloucester City council)

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