Funding awarded to build affordable homes

Four projects to develop affordable homes on council owned brownfield sites in Devon and Torbay have been awarded just over £911,000 of government funding.

The Devon and Torbay One Public Estate Partnership has successfully bid for Brownfield Land Release Funding (BLRF2) to support the projects in Exeter, Mid Devon and Torbay.

The funding is a share of £35.9 million awarded to English councils in the first round of BLRF2 to enable the release of council brownfield land for housing.

The projects receiving the grant funding are:

Exeter City Council – Lower Wear Road

Exeter City Council is committed to delivering affordable homes and the latest project at Lower Wear Road builds on the previous round of BLRF in the city. This scheme will allow 15 affordable homes to be built using a modular build approach. It is the first scheme of its type that Exeter has put forward for BLRF Funding and it will also use the Prisoners Building Homes programme, working with Exeter Prison offenders to construct the modular homes.

Councillor Barbara Denning, Exeter City Council’s Lead Councillor with responsibility for Council Housing, said: “I am delighted with this funding which will help deliver much needed affordable housing in the city.”

Mid Devon District Council – Shapland Place, Tiverton, and St Andrews Estate, Cullompton

These two schemes represent the start of an ambitious £100million programme by Mid Devon District Council to redevelop underused and infill sites to create new affordable homes. This is the first time Mid Devon has bid through the One Public Estate process and the funding will allow 14 affordable modular build homes to be developed.

Councillor Stuart Penny, Mid Devon District Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Property Services, said: “This is great news for the expansion of our own council stock, which is a priority for this council. These two projects in Cullompton and Tiverton will provide homes for our communities which are modern and super energy efficient and are part of our long-term ambitions to improve housing across the district.”

Torbay Council – St Kildas, Brixham

This scheme will provide 23 affordable homes and will enable the full build to be delivered by 2025.

Councillor Swithin Long, Torbay Council's Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Tourism and Housing, said: "This development at St Kildas is a top priority for the Council both in terms of achieving and creating affordable homes. The project will complement Torbay’s town centres regeneration strategy, which is focused on the Town Deal in Torquay, the Future High Streets programme in Paignton and an LUF bid at Brixham Harbour/Fish Market.”

Councillor Rufus Gilbert, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery and Skills, said: “I’m pleased that a number of areas across Devon and Torbay will benefit from this latest round of funding and we’ll be bidding for more in future rounds. The One Public Estate programme is ensuring vital gap funding is making it possible for these essential housing projects to go ahead which is good news for local residents and our local economy.”

The Devon & Torbay One Public Estate partnership is made up of 10 local authorities (Devon County Council, East Devon District Council, Exeter City Council, Mid Devon District Council, North Devon Council, South Hams District Council, Teignbridge District Council, Torbay Council, Torridge District Council and West Devon Borough Council) as well as the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, Devon & Cornwall Police, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, the NHS, and South Western Ambulance Service.

The Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF2) is administered through the One Public Estate programme which is a partnership between the Office of Government Property in the Cabinet Office (OGP), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

Up to £180 million in capital grants will be available through BLRF2 over the next three years. The Devon and Torbay One Public Estate Partnership is currently developing a plan for the later rounds.