Kickstart Round 2: Over 5,000 new and affordable homes unlocked in first tranche
8 March 2010
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The Homes and Communities Agency has completed its assessment of the first tranche of schemes for a share of the second round of Kickstart funding.
Of the 265 schemes shortlisted for Round 2, 87 successful schemes are being announced today to receive funding that will help unlock them and enable more first time buyers to own their own home. Around a quarter of the successful schemes are expected to be back on site by the end of this month.
A total of almost £83 million will be allocated to unlock 5,696 new homes, including 3,503 affordable of which 2,193 will be made available through HomeBuy Direct, 345 through other Low Cost Home Ownership routes and 802 for social rent. Almost all of the schemes (85) are expected to meet Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes. A complete list of the schemes announced today can be found at www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/kickstart-round-two
Sir Bob Kerslake, chief executive of the Homes and Communities Agency said: “With over 6,000 new and affordable homes now on their way to being completed through Round 1 of the Kickstart programme, this second round of funding will help many more schemes get back on track.
“The due diligence process for selecting these successful projects has been rigorous, assessing factors such as value for money, local fit, demand and sustainability to help ensure the homes meet the needs of the people who will live in them.
With much of the funding for this round delivering many more HomeBuy Direct properties we are not only helping developers by unlocking schemes but also giving more people the opportunity to own their own home.”
Kickstart will help to create employment opportunities around the country with at least 99 apprenticeships created and 22 safeguarded through these Round 2 schemes.
The funding announced today is in addition to £425m allocated through Round 1 to deliver a total of over 6,000 new homes across 141 mothballed schemes that have been helped to restart on site. Case studies of some of the successful Round 1 schemes can be found on the HCA’s website at http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/kickstart-round-one.
A further announcement on other successful bidders in Round 2 is expected in late Spring.
Ends
For further media information please contact Gemma Thompson in the HCA press office on 020 7881 1054 or email gemma.thompson@hca.gsx.gov.uk.
Notes to editors:
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is the national housing and regeneration agency for England, which seeks to create high-quality sustainable places and improve quality of life for local people.
In April’s budget £400 million was allocated to the HCA to unlock stalled housing schemes through the Kickstart Programme; and a further £660 million was allocated through the Prime Minister’s Building Britain’s Future in June 2009, creating a total package of £1.06 bn.
It was announced in December 2009 that 265 schemes – seeking nearly £550 million in funding and with the potential to deliver up to 22,000 homes – had been shortlisted for the second round of Kickstart funding. Bids were received from a range of developers, including national and local house builders and housing associations, across all the English regions.
The successful schemes announced today in each region are:
|
Region |
Number of Projects |
Amount of Investment (£0,000s) |
Number of Homes (gross) |
| East of England |
12 |
6,553 |
742 |
| East Midland |
10 |
10,461 |
544 |
| London |
3 |
5,020 |
141 |
| North East |
2 |
1,854 |
100 |
| North West |
14 |
10,530 |
805 |
| South East |
8 |
8,152 |
702 |
| South West |
11 |
12,726 |
1,034 |
| West Midlands |
16 |
16,569 |
1,005 |
| York & Humber |
11 |
11,121 |
623 |
| Total |
87 |
82,986 |
5,696 |
Schemes receiving funding include:
Yorkshire and the Humberside
Saxon Court
Redrow Homes (Yorkshire) Ltd
Moor Lane, Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire
£538,620
Local plans identify the need to continue growth in both market and affordable housing in Sherburn to meet identified need and to keep pace with recent employment expansion in the area. This site forms part of a larger allocation of land in Sherburn to develop approximately 900 dwellings. Although some affordable housing is being developed, private housing development has stalled. Kickstart funding will unlock a scheme of 62 homes that will provide 15 HomeBuy Direct homes, 22 affordable homes and 25 open market homes.
Phase 1, Former Yorkshire Traction
Persimmon Homes
Barnsley
£347,700
The project is located on Sheffield Road, a key gateway to Barnsley town centre. Regional Housing Board funds have been used to improve the physical environment in the area and to improve the approach to the town centre. This Kickstart investment unlocks the development of a stalled brownfield site: previously a transport base. When planning permission was granted, it was for a wholly private sale scheme. Barnsley MBC support the inclusion of HomeBuy Direct on the site to increase affordability. This is a 60 unit first phase of a 200 unit scheme, comprising in this first phase 16 HomeBuy Direct homes and 44 market sale homes.
Keighley Road
Redrow Homes (Yorkshire) Ltd
Halifax
£702,724
Kickstart funding will support the development of 30 HomeBuy Direct homes as part of a phase of 70 homes. The proposed scheme meets regional priorities and is strongly supported by the Local Authority (Calderdale Council) on the basis that it will bring into use a vacant brownfield site, broaden the tenure mix and provide family accommodation, in accordance with the Council's objectives for this area.
North West
Waterside Village
Morris Homes
St Helens
£694,950
Kickstart funding to deliver 32 HomeBuy Direct properties and 51 homes for market sale on a 83 home development at Waterside Urban Village in St Helens. This project is the second of 6 phases proposed for this site. The total number of homes in the overall scheme is 363. The Waterside Urban Village scheme is one of three urban villages within St Helens and the council believes that these villages are key to the continued economic regeneration of the Borough.
Billinge Greenfields
Persimmon Homes North West
Greenfields, Billinge
£748,500
This development will bring forward 50 new homes - a mix of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom properties, of which 31 will be available through HomeBuy Direct. This is part of a wider scheme that will ultimately provide 217 homes in a popular area that has good demand for family homes.
Fleetwood Harbour
Redrow Homes Lancashire
Fleetwood, Wyre
£953,588
This brownfield site has been remediated in preparation for residential redevelopment and Kickstart funding will unlock the first phase of development that will deliver 58 homes, 15 of which will be HomeBuy Direct and seven available for social rent. The unlocking of the first phase of development will also contribute to bringing forward the remaining phases outside of the Kickstart programme that make up the entire 380 home site. This development will support the investment being committed to the regeneration and economic development of Fleetwood by providing new homes for both owner occupiers and those in need of affordable housing.
North East
Whitworth Park
Barratt Developments Plc
Spennymoor, County Durham
£736,950
Whitworth Park is a key growth point site that has stalled due to planning difficulties and high upfront infrastructure costs. A further three phases of the development are planned that will deliver in total 405 homes. Kickstart funding will unlock the first phase which will consist of 50 homes: 28 HomeBuy Direct and 22 open market. The project is supported by Durham County Council and delivers a range of home sizes, predominantly family housing and good demand is anticipated.
Hardwick Green
Barratt Developments Plc
Stockton-on-Tees
£1,116,900
Kickstart funding will unlock a phase of 50 homes that will all be available through HomeBuy Direct. Hardwick Green was formerly a Local Authority housing estate that suffered from a range of social and economic problems, many of which are intrinsically linked to housing and the physical environment. Following a visioning exercise by the Council it was decided to remodel the estate and the scheme unlocked by Kickstart is part of this remodelling.
South West
Crediton Road
Persimmon SW
Okehampton, West Devon
£1,772,250
This project will deliver 72 homes of which 61 are three or four bed. The HomeBuy Direct homes delivered with Kickstart funding will complement an existing NAHP-funded project for 31 homes for rent. It also may assist in bringing forward delivery of a larger proposal that has the potential to deliver a project that totals over 400 mixed tenure homes. The first phase will enable access to the school and support infrastructure to be provided.
Block Q Dockside
Crest Nicholson
Portishead
£351,450
This project will deliver 15 HomeBuy Direct homes within a scheme of 94 homes, forming part of a much larger dockside development in Portishead, which will make a significant contribution to regional growth targets and local housing need. The site is a former industrial brownfield site that has been remediated and is being developed as part of a major regeneration project, making a significant contribution to housing need and will offer a wide range of including one to five bed market homes, apartments and affordable homes.
Torre Marine
Barratts
Torquay
£220,538
This scheme will deliver 10 HomeBuy Direct homes to unlock a phase of 65 homes as part of a wider mixed tenure scheme of 258 homes. Further investment is being made through the national affordable housing programme and First Time Buyer’s initiative to provide much needed affordable housing in Torbay.
London
Acton Bus Depot
Crest Nicholson
London Borough of Ealing
£3,362,928
The scheme will convert a disused bus garage into residential use. Kickstart funding will unlock 85 units of which 20 are for social rent, 10 Homebuy Direct and six NewBuild Homebuy - in a part of the borough where there are few alternative opportunities to develop affordable housing. The scheme is fully supported by the local authority; it will bring an eyesore site back into use and enhance the local area. It will help meet local housing needs in a borough where the population is growing and where the demand for accommodation serving smaller households is increasing.
Hillingdon House Farm
Persimmon Homes
Hanbury Park, North Way, Uxbridge, Hillingdon
£705,000
Kickstart funding will unlock a phase of 55 homes that is one of three phases on this site. The scheme has a strong fit with local context and is within close proximity to good amenities for sports and leisure, transport and within walking distant to schools. The bid satisfies regional priorities by delivering affordable housing where there is limited supply. The London Borough of Hillingdon is fully supportive of the scheme and is keen to promote an opportunity to help low income households to get on the property ladder through HCA’s support of 20 HomeBuy Direct homes.
East of England
Wixams
Miller Homes Ltd
Bedford
£719,250
There are 113 homes in total on the wider Miller project, of which 50 form the Kickstart area. This Kickstart phase consists of 15 private homes, 15 Low Cost Home Ownership homes and 20 HomeBuy Direct homes. The introduction of HomeBuy Direct helps to alleviate the issues caused by general issues in the mortgage market by helping to provide a wider market appeal.
The Edge
JS Bloor
Dunstable
£627,450
Kickstart funding will unlock 56 homes through provision of funding for 26 HomeBuy Direct homes with the remainder of the homes being available for private sale. The site is a priority redevelopment of a prominent former brownfield site and will provide a range of housing options in a high demand area.
East Midlands
City Point
Morris Homes
Derby
£768,000
Kickstart will unlock 69 homes on this site that will provide 33 HomeBuy Direct homes and 36 private sale homes. The wider City Point scheme is a large residential project which will bring forward 600 new homes situated on a former City College site near to Pride Park Football Ground. The vision is to create a mixed tenure community and there is a good mix of social rent, shared ownership, shared equity and outright sale properties. The development has stalled due to the market downturn's impact on lending to prospective homeowners in Derby City and supporting the delivery of this phase of the project will accelerate the completion of the wider site.
Halls Lane
Persimmon Homes
Giltbrook, Broxtowe, Nottinghamshire
£1,259,250
This scheme consists of 62 homes, 12 available for social rent and 50 through HomeBuy Direct. The site is close to established private housing and the offer of the affordable housing product HomeBuy Direct to residents of the area and Borough would bring greater choice. The securing of Kickstart 2 funding for 50 Homebuy Direct homes would help to address the demand for affordable housing products and also the need for 2, 3 and 4 bedroom homes within the Giltbrook area whilst also contributing to regional housing targets.
West Midlands
Mowbray Manor
J S Bloor Ltd
Coventry
£497,940
Kickstart will unlock a phase of 52 dwellings comprising 40 HomeBuy Direct and 12 open market homes. A further 60 homes will be delivered through later phases of development. The site was formerly used as a college campus by Tile Hill College whereby the college subsequently relocated to a new purpose built facility within the Swanswell Regeneration area in September 2007. The homes to be secured under Kickstart Round 2 form the second of three phases in a residential development delivering a total of 118 units.
Castle Gate
Morris Homes
Tamworth
£611,250
Kickstart will unlock 54 homes of which 22 will be available through HomeBuy Direct and 32 through the open market. The scheme is the redevelopment of the former Doutlon Works in Tamworth and the phase unlocked by Kickstart is the second of two phases that will provide a total of 162 homes. The scheme comprises a mix, agreed in consultation with the Local Authority, of one bedroom flats and two and three bedroom houses, with a mixture of private and affordable housing.
South East
Farnborough Central
Redrow Homes Ltd
Farnborough
£1,305,188
Kickstart will provide HomeBuy Direct funding for 41 homes that will improve affordability for first time buyers and keyworkers and will kickstart the provision of a total of 125 homes within this phase. This phase will provide a mix of 1 to 3 bed accommodation located in a sustainable location close to an employment hub and public transport facilities, forming part of a new town centre development in Farnborough. This scheme helps to address affordability of homes in a high cost area and will help to regenerate this area of Rushmoor as part of a high quality mixed use development.
RAF Wendover
Barratts
Wendover, Aylesbury Vale
£1,365,150
This site is a brownfield site that fits with local and regional priorities and makes the best use of surplus public sector land. The Kickstart investment is targeted at one phase of the wider scheme, and will bring forward the delivery of 40 HomeBuy Direct homes, 43 affordable homes and 24 open market homes to meet the high level of demand within the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Growth Area.
Hailsham
Redrow Homes Ltd
Hailsham
£895,500
Kickstart funding will unlock a phase of 54 homes as part of a wider scheme of 128 homes that is a key strategic scheme. Hailsham has the highest level of affordable housing need in the district and this scheme will relieve local housing pressure. The entire scheme comprises a mix of private, social and Low Cost Home Ownership (HomeBuy Direct) homes, a mix of flats and houses ranging from one to five bedrooms with an emphasis on larger homes.