New funding to produce 19,000 jobs and 17,000 new homes
One Public Estate has awarded £$ 30 million to successful cross-public sector projects as part of its levelling up agenda, to deliver over 17,000 new homes, 19,000 new jobs.
The programme, that is run by the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and native Government and also the Municipality Association, also seeks to save taxpayers £34 million as the UK government proceeds its mission to build back better and level up across the country.
Funding continues to be awarded with the Land Release Fund (LRF) and the One Public Estate (OPE) programme, which works with 97 percent of councils in England. Funding and support from the OPE programme will help with the creation of feasibility studies and design work with potential development sites.
Meanwhile, the LRF funding will support councils to regenerate mainly brownfield sites by providing capital funding for that provision of infrastructure work which will enable them to bring these sites forward for much-needed housing.
£10 million went towards projects that support collaboration between local and central government and the wider public sector, planning to achieve greater levels of efficiency and improve service delivery. £20 million continues to be awarded included in the Land Release Fund, which aims to enable the redevelopment of a big quantity of local authority brownfield sites for housing.
Lord Agnew, Minister for State for Efficiency and Transformation, said: “This government is committed to levelling up across the nation as we build back better in the pandemic, creating new jobs and homes within our cities and towns. The most recent projects to benefit from £30 million of One Public Estate funding won't help unlock under-used public sector sites for homes but in addition helps deliver jobs, better public services and save taxpayers’ money.”
James Jamieson, chairman from the Municipality Association, said: “One Public Estate will have a vital role in supporting the local and national economic recovery in the Covid-19 crisis. This funding will support local authorities to create better use of their assets, release surplus land for brand new homes and help link up local services.
“It's a unique programme, which for nearly ten years continues to be helping local authorities and public sector bodies to transform and reconfigure their professional services. This latest news is much more proof that certain Public Estate is working, it is helping local government to build on innovative work, which is using a demonstrable effect on our local communities.”
