Surplus land no longer needed by the railway system has been unlocked, allowing for £1bn worth of new developments
40,000 new brownfield railway homes are expected to be delivered over the next decade, with 15,000 to be delivered over the next five years.
A new development company has also been established, named Platform4, with a new chair appointed to support regeneration in several cities.
Platform4 will deliver brownfield railway homes
Surplus land has been taken away from London and Continental Railways Ltd, as well as Network Rail’s Property Team, who previously managed the surplus land independently, making developments difficult.
Transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, has now unlocked this land and Platform4 is seeking to bring in private investment to regenerate surrounding communities. An extra £227m is expected to be generated from the work.
The surplus land includes old industrial sites and goods yards.
As a result, the cities of Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Cambridge will see new homes, green spaces, shops, and hotels, as well as the new jobs brought by the developments. Four sites already planned for development include:
• Newcastle Forth Goods Yard: Opportunity for up to 600 new homes and unlocking additional new homes
• Manchester Mayfield: Opportunity for 1,500 new homes
• Cambridge: A mixed-use development with 425 homes
• Nottingham: 200 new homes following 348 successfully delivered homes at The Barnum
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner, said: “We are facing a housing crisis which has led to a generation being locked out of homeownership, all while land sits empty and disused across the country.
“We said we’d do everything possible to get Britain building, and that’s why today we’re setting out how we’ll get more homes built across surplus railway network sites in line with our brownfield-first approach and our Plan for Change target of delivering 1.5 million homes.”
Bek Seeley is the new chair of Platform4
Seeley has previously worked at Lendlease’s European development business, and has supported various regeneration projects in the UK, as well as chairing the Euston housing delivery group.
Seeley said: “Platform4 will deliver on key government priorities, creating new homes and jobs and stimulating economic growth. Working alongside our partners and local authorities, we will create sustainable places that bring communities and customers together and leave a positive legacy for future generations.”
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, added: “Our railways are more than just connections between places – they create economic opportunity and drive regeneration.
“It’s exciting to picture the thousands of families who will live in these future homes, the vibrant neighbourhoods springing up and the new businesses that will launch thanks to these developments.
“Platform4 will breathe new life into these spaces, delivering tens of thousands of new homes as part of our Plan for Change promise to build 1.5 million homes, while reviving communities around rail stations, supporting jobs and driving economic growth.”
