07.09.16
Network Rail to release land for 12,000 new homes by 2020
There will be 12,000 new homes built on former Network Rail land by 2020, the infrastructure owner has announced.
Network Rail said it will release almost 200 sites around the country, with around 5,000 homes being built in London, 3,600 in Manchester and the north, 1,700 in the Midlands and east, and 1,400 in the south.
Network Rail will partner with developers to sell off the sites over the next four years. It is also considering selling some sites in groups, which would allow them to go on the market as early as spring 2017.
David Biggs, managing director of Network Rail Property said: “Network Rail has been unlocking land for development for over a decade, providing space for thousands of homes, while generating income to reinvest back into the railway.
“The railway stands as a backbone of the UK economy. Unlocking railway land for redevelopment investing in stations and infrastructure, can and does transform large swathes of our towns and cities and boost local and regional economies.
“As we now ramp up our land release programme to deliver thousands more homes, we will be working closely with the Homes and Communities Agency, London Land Commission, local authorities and developers to bring identified sites forward to help meet the country’s housing needs.”
Earmarked sites include the former Exchange Station site in Manchester, with potential for 700 homes, and Chesterton near Cambridge, where 800 homes would be built.
These homes are in addition to 10,000 homes being built near stations as part of a partnership between Network Rail and the Homes and Communities Agency.
London mayor Sadiq Khan recently announced that he is instructing Transport for London to sell off unused land near Kidbrooke station and ensure that at least 50% of the land is used for affordable housing.
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