The so-called Get Britain Building fund is a key part of the government’s housing strategy. Launched two months ago, there have already been 176 expressions of interest that cover 392 individual sites.
Mr Shapps claims that the £420m overall investment will unlock the building of up to 16,000 homes on sites that are currently stalled - creating up to 30,000 jobs in construction and related industries by 2014, he reckons.
Mr Shapps also published details of 18 developments that will go to the next stage of assessment for £45m funding from the scheme. These would result in 1,300 new homes and include:
- Cheeseman's Green, Ashford - includes plans for 140 new homes
- Millbay Docks, Plymouth - includes plans for 96 homes
- Newark Southern Extension - includes plans for 100 homes.
Stockport case study
A housing and regeneration scheme in Stockport has been identified as one of the first 18 schemes up for a share of the £420m Get Britain Building fund.
The 41-home second phase of development at Hopes Carr, part of the Covent Garden Village regeneration programme, has been earmarked as one of the first schemes to move to the next stage of the assessment process to unlock delivery on commissioned schemes of high importance.
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The Hopes Carr scheme is the start of Stockport’s new Covent Garden Village, a mixed-tenure residential-led urban village which will deliver 250 new homes, new shops and a park. Developer Seddon is working with Stockport Council to create the new neighbourhood.
Urban regeneration specialist ID4 Living and Seddon Construction, both members of the Seddon Group, began work last autumn on a £5.7m block of 46 new apartments for Stockport Homes – the first element of the new urban village – with investment from the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) and Stockport Homes.
Subject to due diligence and contracting, HCA investment could help Seddon build the next stage of the development – an additional 41 new homes at Hopes Carr.
Deborah McLaughlin, HCA executive director, North West, says: “This is encouraging news for Covent Garden Village and we are keen to see more homes being delivered and progress being made on this important local project. Our partners have once again demonstrated their appetite to get Britain building by developing much needed new homes. It’s really pleasing to see that Covent GardenVillage is one of the first schemes to be taken forward to the next stage of the Get Britain Building Programme.”
Seddon Construction managing director Jonathan Seddon says: “This development is set to play a key part in the transformation of the town centre. We are delighted that the HCA has recognised the positive effects the scheme is set to deliver, in terms of both high-quality housing and the economic and social benefits to the wider community.”
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