Government names six sites to receive New Homes Accelerator support

The government has named six sites which are set to receive support from its New Homes Accelerator.

Established last year as part of Labour’s effort to cut through planning barriers, the New Homes Accelerator provides additional planning capacity and removes regulatory hurdles for struggling schemes.

Yesterday, it was announced that Wisley Airfield in Guildford, Hampden Fields in Aylesbury, Comeytrowe Garden Community, also known as Orchard Grove, in Somerset, and North Leigh Park in Wigan would all receive attention from the programme.

Two further sites in London, Billet Road in Redbridge and High Road West in Haringey, will also be targeted.

The accelerator leverages resources and expertise available to the government and its housing and regeneration agency, Homes England, in an effort to speed up delivery.

The government claims that in its first year, the accelerator has helped speed up delivery of 36,000 new homes across England and that its team has also driven forward planning proposals for another 63,000.

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Housing secretary Angela Rayner said: “We’ve rolled up our sleeves and are breaking down the barriers which stop us from building the houses to buy and rent that families and young people need, helping to speed up the delivery of tens of thousands of new homes already.

“We are continuing to take decisive action through our New Homes Accelerator to speed up the delivery of homes, meet our stretching 1.5 million homes target through the Plan for Change, and get spades in the ground to turn the tide on the housing crisis.”