£20.8million Homes England grant funding to boost development of new homes in Eastleigh
- £20.8 million grant funding agreed with Homes England will accelerate the delivery of new homes in Eastleigh
- The funding will unlock the development of a 310 acres site in Horton Heath
- A minimum of 30% of the new homes will be affordable housing
Homes England has agreed a £20.8million funding deal with Eastleigh Borough Council. The funding has been awarded through the Government’s £450 million Local Authority Accelerated Construction (LAAC) programme.
The LAAC programme prioritises the use of modern methods of construction. Eastleigh are considering options that include panellised and modular construction methods which will increase the pace of development by 50 percent.
The site already has planning permission for 1,400 homes but development had stalled. The Council purchased the land in 2018 to help unlock the site and ensure that much needed homes would be delivered. The Council will be the developer ensuring delivery of upfront infrastructure, affordable housing and a range of tenures and other community benefits including recreational facilities a village centre and open space.
The funding will be used to kick start the development of 1,400 new homes over the next ten years at the 310 acre site at Horton Heath. The site includes land at Chalcroft Farm and land west of Horton Heath in Burnetts Lane, as well as land at Fir Tree Farm and Victoria Farmhouse, in Firtree Lane.
The development will comprise a mix of one, two three and four bedroom homes and will include a minimum of 30 per cent percent affordable housing.
Minister of State for Housing, Kit Malthouse MP, said: “We haven’t built enough homes in this country for far too long – and our accelerated construction programme is here to change that, and fast.
“This £20.8 million funding boost is going to help bring 1,400 much needed new homes to Eastleigh using modern methods that significantly cut down on construction time.
“Hampshire is an important part of our drive to keep building more, better, faster and meet our ambition to build 300,000 homes a year nationally by the mid-2020s.”
Stephen Kinsella, Executive Director for Land at Homes England, said: “This funding will support Eastleigh Borough Council to accelerate housing delivery by enabling them to prepare this site for development and bring forward the construction of new homes incorporating modern methods of construction.”
Keith House, Leader of Eastleigh Borough Council said: “We are committed to ensuring local people have the homes they need now and into the future. That means solving the housing crisis. We must build sustainable and vibrant communities that protect and enhance the environment and that deliver much needed infrastructure, such as new roads, at the same time. It’s good that the Government has recognised our ambition with this £20.8 million funding award to kick start our plans.”