£58m allocated to councils to bring forward brownfield sites

A total of 53 councils have been allocated a share of £58m to bring forward disused and derelict brownfield sites for development.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) today revealed the first allocations through its £75m Brownfield Release Fund (see table below).

The fund is intended to help local authorities bring forward sites for housing development and for self and custom-build plots. The funding will support the “demolition of unsightly derelict buildings and disused car parks and garages” a LUHC spokesperson said. 

LUHC said an extra 5,600 homes will be built on the sites brought forward through the scheme.

Development on brownfield sites has emerged as a key housing priority for the government, following backbench and voter concern that planning reforms could lead to uncontrolled development on green field sites.

Michael Gove, housing secretary said: “Making the most of previously developed land is a government priority and it will help protect our cherished countryside and green spaces.”

Boris Johnson, speaking at the Conservative Party conference last week said there is a lot of room to build homes for young families, “not on green fields, not just jammed in the south east, but beautiful homes on brownfield sites, in places where homes make sense”.