Housing schemes ‘kick-started’ with £10.5m funding

THE government has announced its plans to invest more than £10.5m building 805 new homes across the North West.

The funding intends to deliver affordable housing for first-time buyers while also safeguarding 1,700 jobs in the house building sector.

The Homes and Communities Agency’s Kickstart programme has allocated almost £83m nationally which will enable 5,696 new homes to be built.

In the North West, 14 schemes have been backed by the government.

They include proposals to build a housing scheme in Bury for 50 properties with £1.06m backing, while another in Gorton for 52 houses will receive £1.25m.

The funding will also help schemes in Liverpool, Chorley, Wyre, Lancaster and Chester.

Developers receiving the funding have also had to promise to provide apprenticeships and opportunities for local workers.

Most of the money is expected to be repaid within five years.

Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency said: “With over 6,000 new and affordable homes now on their way to being completed through Round 1 of the Kickstart programme, this second round of funding will help many more schemes get back on track.

“The due diligence process for selecting these successful projects has been rigorous, assessing factors such as value for money, local fit, demand and sustainability to help ensure the homes meet the needs of the people who will live in them.

“With much of the funding for this round delivering many more HomeBuy Direct properties we are not only helping developers by unlocking schemes but also giving more people the opportunity to own their own home.”

Deborah McLaughlin, regional director of the Homes and Communities Agency in the North West, said: “This next tranche of Kickstart funding will make a tremendous difference in progressing work to unlock more of the region’s stalled schemes that will provide much-needed affordable housing in the North West.”