New growth point housing and jobs schemes announced

31 October 2006:

Nearly 30 areas in England involving 45 towns and cities have been confirmed as New Growth Points where local authorities are working up plans for significantly more jobs and homes under a special government initiative.

The successful schemes, a number of which are joint bids, will share a £40m fund for support infrastructure and measures to unlock sites for housing and mitigate environmental impacts. More then 70 local authorities proposed schemes.

Projects in major cities like Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Leicester and Nottingham are involved, as well as smaller towns like Grantham, Ipswich, Maidstone, Reading and Thetford. New Growth Points in the South East include Basingstoke, Didcot, Maidstone, Oxford, Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH), Reading and Reigate & Banstead. In the South West, Poole, Taunton and Swindon are included.

Up to 100,000 extra new homes could result from these proposals, which should help concentrate future growth at existing urban centres. The programme should also provide the opportunity for more examples of sustainable development, such as plans for a low-impact "new town" at Ashton Green in Leicester.

Local authorities involved in the successful schemes will work with government agencies and bodies to make sure the schemes are sustainable and well-designed.

The full list of New Growth Points is available at:
Web: communities.gov.uk