Derelict sites to be transformed under Government ‘brownfield land release fund’

Derelict sites across the country, including a former refuse destruction site in Stoke-on-Trent, will be transformed into new homes under a Government scheme to regenerate brownfield land, boost local communities and support people onto the property ladder.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) announced the allocation of a further £11m from the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) to support 23 redevelopment schemes across 15 councils.

The announcement follows the allocation of £58m last month to 53 local councils across the country.

Funding allocated from the BLRF so far will release land for more than 6,800 homes by March 2024 and create more than 21,000 jobs in the housing and construction sectors and wider economy as part of the government’s mission to level up communities across the UK.

Projects allocated funding include:

Stoke-on-Trent: A former refuse destruction site on Booth Street will be redeveloped with £700,000 of BLRF funding. This funding will release land for the development of 118 new homes, 90% of which will be affordable housing including social rent homes for older people.
Hythe: In Hythe, the District Council will receive £2 million towards the site remediation costs of a former waste tip on this council-led development. The regeneration will deliver 150 new homes, a new leisure centre and improved public spaces and parkland.
Barrow: In Barrow-in-Furness, Barrow Borough Council will receive £1.5 million to improve roads, infrastructure and utilities for the Marina Village development and key employment sites, close to the town centre. The funding will release land for 315 new homes.
Gloucester: A major redevelopment of a derelict former cattle market site at St Oswalds Park will be supported by the BLRF to deliver 180 new homes. The St Oswalds Park redevelopment is part of the regeneration work across the city supported by government, which includes the £20 million investment from the Levelling Up Fund.
Chorley: In Chorley £1.1 million will help bring forward the proposed re-development of a council-owned site on Bengal Street, demolishing existing buildings and addressing ground contamination to deliver a mixed use scheme incorporating residential, retail and leisure space.

Housing Minister Christopher Pincher said: “Our brownfield-first approach is transforming underused sites into thriving communities where people want to live, work and visit.

“The investment we are announcing today will help people onto the property ladder, create jobs, deliver new infrastructure and provide a boost to local communities as we level up across the country.”