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A massive programme of development of railway stations and surrounding land will deliver thousands of new homes and jobs and significantly boost local growth.

• Up to 10,000 homes to be built around rail stations
• Three local authorities come forward with ambitious proposals for first sites
• Regeneration of sites will revitalise town centres

A massive programme of development of railway stations and surrounding land will deliver thousands of new homes and jobs and significantly boost local growth, the Communities Secretary announced yesterday (10 April 2016).

A new agreement between Network Rail and the Homes and Communities Agency will see them working with local councils to trailblaze development opportunities across England’s railway stations for housing and businesses.

The ambitious initiative could deliver up to 10,000 new properties on sites around stations in the coming years. Government wants to hear from at least 20 local authorities to take the scheme forward.

York, Taunton and Swindon councils have come forward with proposals to spearhead the new initiative and have identified railway sites that could be pooled to deliver housing and other locally-led regeneration.

Drawing on the example set by the transformation of Birmingham New Street, Manchester Victoria and London Kings Cross, government will bring together high-calibre technical expertise and local knowledge to increase development opportunities that exist throughout the entire rail estate.

Communities Secretary Greg Clark said:

We’re determined to fire up communities and back local business so they build much needed housing and create thousands of jobs. Rail stations are a hub of communities, connectivity and commerce and should be making the most of their unique potential to attract investment and opportunities.

With record numbers of people travelling by train, it makes sense to bring people closer to stations and develop sites that have space for thousands of new homes and offices.

This new initiative will bring about a step change in development and ensure we go further and faster in putting these rail sites to good use.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said:

We are delivering the biggest programme of rail improvements since the Victorian age and have seen the transformation of stations such as Birmingham New Street, Manchester Victoria and London Kings Cross.

As a one nation government we are determined to ensure further opportunities are grasped to put stations at the heart of wider community regeneration. This will help deliver thousands of new homes and jobs and deliver a substantial return to the taxpayer.

I’m pleased to see that exciting visions for regeneration at Swindon, Taunton and York are being developed, with the potential for hundreds of additional homes and new businesses. I look forward to seeing how Network Rail and the Homes and Communities Agency’s excellent work on these projects develop.

Local areas are best placed to understand and identify the opportunities that exist within their communities. The Homes and Communities Agency and Network Rail will now work with councils on the opportunities they see and any plans already in place to explore how government can support them to deliver locally-led regeneration and development schemes quickly.

The government has ensured housing and home ownership is a key part of its long-term economic plan and is making available significant investment for new housing including £3 billion for developers to bring forward schemes and £1.2 billion Starter Homes Fund.

The first places to come forward with ambitious proposals to regenerate around stations are:

York, North Yorkshire

Proposals suggest that land at York Central station can support up to 2,500 homes. Housing would be key to creating a sustainable new community and would include Starter Homes and community facilities. Around 100,000m2 of office and commercial space for private sector firms could also support more than 6,600 jobs in industries such as professional services. Housing and office regeneration around the station could add £1.16billion to the local economy.

Taunton, Somerset

Regeneration at Taunton station could provide a significant increase in commercial spaces and homes in an underused site on the edge of the town centre. Remodelling of the station layout and car park, supported by the Local Growth Fund would complement this development. This would create a vibrant gateway to the town and strong links to the town centre. This would provide a significant boost to the local economy of one of the South West’s key urban centres, and provide significant residential and commercial growth.

Swindon, Wiltshire

The area around Swindon station could provide opportunities to boost housing in the town by creating homes and commercial opportunities taking advantage of the benefits brought by the Great Western Electrification Programme. Swindon has ambitious plans for the regeneration of its town centre and also the revitalisation of leisure opportunities to the north of the station. The redevelopment of land around the station would help to maximise and enhance these opportunities.

Further information

The government is committed to increasing housing supply and helping more people achieve their aspiration of home ownership.

Since 2010, 291,000 people have now purchased their home with the help of a government backed scheme including Help to Buy, Right to Buy and shared ownership.

The government has doubled investment for 2018 to 2019 to £8 billion to deliver more than 400,000 affordable homes. This includes:

• £4.1 billion for 135,000 Help to Buy: Shared Ownership homes
• £2.3 billion towards delivering 200,000 new Starter Homes, which will be available at 20% discount to young first-time buyers
• £1.6 billion for 100,000 affordable homes for rent
• £8.6 billion to extend the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme to 2021 – supporting 145,000 families into new homes

Government, National Rail, Homes and Communities Agency and London and Continental Railways can support places to deliver locally-led schemes quickly. In order to release land for regeneration Network Rail will need to satisfy the Office of Rail and Road that it will not be required for the railway.

Since 2010, 291,000 people have now purchased their home with the help of a government backed scheme including Help to Buy, Right to Buy and shared ownership.

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