Shovelling On The Brown Stuff

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Funds to deliver up to 45,000 homes are part of a £1.3 billion package of investment, with £360 million going to deliver 26,000 new homes on brownfield land, announced by the government this week (ending 7 August).

Over 300 shovel-ready projects in England to share £900 million investment to build homes and infrastructure, and create jobs, it is claimed.

However, government statements to the press link this round of investment with the under-fire Green Homes Grant scheme. One statement reads 'there will need to be strict accreditation rules to ensure homes are of the highest quality' and the plan is to 'create up to 85,000 jobs and upgrade skills and infrastructure to help fuel a green economic recovery'. These statements will cause concern that the 'investment' is simply the moving around of funds already allocated by a government that has no idea on how to achieve a green economic recovery; and the 'creation of jobs' are jobs that already exist.

 

 “Tens of thousands of new homes and other vital infrastructure projects were given the green light with nearly £1.3 billion of investment confirmed.”

– Robert Jenrick 

MP, Housing Secretary

 

Getting Building Fund

Over 300 successful projects in England are being told they will receive a share of the £900 million Getting Building Fund, which was announced by the Prime Minister in June, to invest in shovel-ready housing and infrastructure projects.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick MP continued: As we get Britain building we are also laying the foundations for a green economic recovery by investing in vital infrastructure for local communities, creating jobs and building environmentally-friendly homes."

 

Levelling the country

Jenrick added: "This government is determined to level up all parts of the country and this funding will not only give a much needed boost to our economic recovery, it will help build the good quality, affordable homes the country needs."

 

Projects being funded include:

• £23 million for phase 1 of the development of commercial space at Mayfield Park in Greater Manchester.

• £14.88 million to accelerate the National Brownfield Land Institute, a project aiming to create a leader in sustainable construction.

• £12 million to support a new high-speed railway station in Thanet, Kent.

• To deliver a further 26,000 new homes while protecting greenfield sites, the government has also confirmed a £360 million investment in Mayoral Combined Authority areas through its £400 million Brownfield Fund.

• A further £8 million of funding has also been announced to help speed up the delivery of these new homes on brownfield sites and the government is inviting bids from the Mayoral Combined Authorities for the remaining £40 million of the fund.

Details of the new £2 billion Green Homes Grant scheme, which the government claims fund up to two-thirds of the cost of home improvements of over 600,000 homes,  were simultaneously announced.

 

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Tradespeople must register for TrustMark or Microgeneration Certification Scheme accreditation to take part. The Green Homes Grant will cover up to £5,000 worth of home improvements ranging from insulation of walls, floors and roofs, to the installation of low-carbon heating, such as heat pumps or solar thermal.

Households on low income can receive vouchers covering 100% of the cost of the improvements, up to a maximum of £10,000.

Business and Energy Secretary Rt Hon Alok Sharma said: "Green home improvements will save people money on their energy bills, help to cut carbon emissions and create new work for many thousands of builders, plumbers and other tradespeople.

"Our TrustMark scheme will guarantee that building work is completed to a high standard by accredited tradespeople, ensuring consumers are fully protected."

 

Planning system

The funding commitments came ahead of an overhaul of the planning system also announced in the week ending 7 August. Sharma said: "The reforms will bring about a simpler, faster, people-focused system to deliver the high-quality, energy efficient homes we need."

 

The full list of projects is available on GOV.UK

 

Picture: Funds to build up to 45,000 homes are part of a £1.3 billion package of government investment.

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
03rd August 2020

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