Is the Brownfield Release Fund 2 Going Far Enough?

It is no secret that the nation is in the midst of a housing crisis, with London at the epicentre. Unfortunately, the short-term outlook is bleak. The pressure on housing delivery to meet a range of needs is only expected to increase as we find ourselves dealing with the fallouts of the Covid-19 pandemic.  As pressure for housing continues to grow, the need to make the best use of land is heightened. Enter the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2…

At the Spending Review 2021, the Chancellor announced a £1.8 billion package of investment to regenerate communities and level-up the country, unlocking new homes on derelict and underused brownfield land. From this came the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2. This is capital grant funding, available to all English councils over a three-year period to support the release of council-owned brownfield land for housing. The fund aims to support the transformation of small council-owned sites, by funding small scale infrastructure and remediation work to enable the release of the land for new homes.

From 8th July 2022, Local Planning Authorities have been able to apply, via One Public Estate (OPE) Partnership, for a share of the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2. However, there is a short window for the first round of applications with the deadline of the 19^th August 2022 fast approaching. It is understood that the fund is available in two stages with an initial £40 million avaliable now and the remaining £140 million to be made available over the next two years.

Whilst the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 can only be seen as a positive, I can’t help but wonder how big of a dent “small council-owned sites” which are expected to provide just 17,000 new homes can really make on the 300,000 new homes a year target.  

If the Government is serious about a brownfield-first approach, then policy, both national and local, needs to align itself to allow the maximum quantity of sustainably located brownfield land, both small and large scale, to be successfully unlocked by the industry. Local Planning Authorities need to be armed with the toolset to speed up development of underused and derelict sites, and housebuilders need to be empowered to deliver the new homes that are needed in these locations.  

To be truly successful, alongside appropriate financial backing, the approach will need to multifaceted; allowing flexibility to adapt to different site’s constraints and characteristics. This is likely to include the co-location of industrial and residential uses (see Paul’s article from 15^th July), optimising density and making the best use of land in areas that are well connected to public transport and amenities. Ensuring brownfield registers are kept up to date and there is a pragmatic approach in the planning balance from Local Planning Authorities on brownfield sites that are physically constrained will also be essential.

Planning Potential have significant experience on a variety of brownfield sites and are well placed to provide grounded planning advice.