GM to receive share of £120 million to regenerate derelict brownfield sites

Greater Manchester is among seven Combined Authorities in England that will receive a share of £120 million of government funding for the regeneration of brownfield sites for housing and employment.

The funding comes ahead of the publishing of the government’s Levelling Up White Paper, which will set out plans to regenerate towns and cities in the UK’s regions that have experienced underinvestment compared to more affluent parts of the country.

Wolverhampton and Sheffield are the first of 20 major towns and cities to secure funding, while funding for seven Mayoral Combined Authorities (West Midlands, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Liverpool, South Yorkshire, North of Tyne, and Tees Valley) will see around 7,800 new homes built through the funding.

Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove MP 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.”

The regeneration programmes will be spearheaded by Homes England, to work with local leaders to deliver regeneration of towns and cities, through housing, health, education and leisure facilities, and transport infrastructure and supported by a £1.5 billion Brownfield Fund.

Homes England chair Peter Freeman CBE said:

A sense of a place and indeed a pride of place are crucial to thriving communities. Our expanded mandate will allow us to further support ambitious local leaders in delivering placemaking and regeneration alongside a wide range of public and private sector partners.

“We have many years of experience undertaking a broad range of brownfield land and regeneration projects which combined with full use of our statutory powers and funding means we’re well positioned to transform places and communities.”