Greater Manchester is set to be awarded millions of pounds to transform derelict brownfield sites into housing, the Government has announced.
Seven mayoral authorities including Greater Manchester will share a total of £120 million of funding.
A further £30m will also be split between Greater Manchester and two other authority areas specifically for disused brownfield land.
READ MORE:
No details of any potential projects or their locations here have been revealed.
The Government has announced new plans to ‘breathe fresh life into disadvantaged communities’ across England as part of its long-awaited Levelling Up White Paper, which is due to be published next week.
Wolverhampton and Sheffield will be the first of 20 areas selected to benefit from a ‘radical new regeneration programme’ launched by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
The chosen locations will be prioritised for a £1.5 billion Brownfield Fund made available from April 2022.
The department confirmed the cash to fund the work was allocated by the Treasury last year.
It is part of a £1.8 billion sum for brownfield regeneration promised by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, at the last Budget.
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
The work will be spearheaded by the Government’s housing agency Homes England, which will be ‘refocused’ to deliver on the levelling up agenda, Michael Gove said.
“It will use its extensive powers and expertise to help local leaders deliver the regeneration of large areas of towns and cities, as they adapt to economic trends like the rise of online shopping,” said the Government announcement.
“The UK government will also welcome working in continued partnership with the devolved administrations to explore how to best support places across the UK to reach their full potential.
“Homes England will partner with local leaders the private sector and community groups to turbocharge regeneration and deliver new housing, health and education and leisure facilities, roads and railways.”
The Government said the money for Manchester was to ‘transform derelict brownfield sites into vibrant places where people want to live and work’.
The seven areas sharing £120m ‘stand to gain 7,800 new homes, the department said.
(Image: ASHLEY STOCKS)
“A further £30 million is being awarded to three Mayoral Combined Authorities in Greater Manchester, Tees Valley and West Midlands on disused brownfield land.”
Wolverhampton and Sheffield will be the first of 20 places selected to benefit.
Levelling Up Secretary Mr Gove said: “We are on a mission to regenerate the nation, transforming derelict areas in our towns and cities into thriving places people are proud to live and work in.
“We are refocusing Homes England and empowering local leaders to support levelling up, delivering Kings Cross style transformational regeneration projects across the country – starting in Wolverhampton and Sheffield.
“This huge investment in infrastructure and regeneration will spread opportunity more evenly and help to reverse the geographical inequalities which still exist in the UK.”
A separate £1.5 billion Levelling Up Home Building Fund will also be launched next week.
It will provide loans to small and medium-size builders and developers to deliver 42,000 homes, with the vast majority going outside London and the South East.
Sign up to the MEN email newsletters to get the latest on sport, news, what’s on and more by following this link
For all the latest World News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
