Council Development

Government launches £45m land release fund



The Department for Communities and Local Government has announced the launch of a £54m funding package to transform local communities and release land for the development of new homes.


The funding consists of a £45m ‘land release fund’, which will ensure local councils release some of their surplus land for housing.

The package also includes £9m from One Public Estate to enable councils to deliver ambitious property-focused programmes.

Councils can bid for the funding for land remediation and small-scale infrastructure.

It is hoped that this funding will unlock enough council-owned land for at least 160,000 homes by 2020.

Alok Sharma, the housing and planning minister, said: “To build the homes this country needs, we need to increase the supply of land available to build more homes, more quickly.

“As a major landowner, local authorities have a crucial role to play in this task.

“Through this innovative cross-government partnership, we will be able to work with councils much more effectively, helping them to meet local housing needs and transform local areas.”

By 2020, councils using the programme are expected to deliver £615m in capital receipts, £158m running costs savings, create 44,000 new jobs and release land for 25,000 new homes.

Caroline Nokes, minister for government resilience and efficiency, added: “One Public Estate is enabling local authorities to make better use of their land and property and deliver tangible benefits to their communities.

“I am delighted that this new funding round will enable even more councils to deliver the homes, jobs and services that local people need.”



Leave a comment