Region boosted with Government housing grants
North West planning authorities have been given a major boost with an injection of over £8.5m of Government funding to help revive the housing market.
The news, announced today by Housing Minister Margaret Beckett, will help maintain the building of the family and first-time buyer homes.
For the first time, the 2008-09 Housing and Planning Delivery Grant will provide additional direct funding top-ups for councils to ensure that new homes are built where families need them.
In order to be eligible local authorities must show progress on:
- continuing to provide suitable land for development over future years, particularly as the housing market recovers from current economic challenges
- providing the local plans necessary to deliver the needed homes
- carrying out a strategic assessment of their housing market
Amongst the councils being allocated the grant, it includes Bury, Liverpool, Chester, Macclesfield, and Manchester.
Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said: "The international credit crunch has created significant challenges for the UK but we have a growing and ageing population and the long term need to provide more homes has not gone away."
Councils across the country will tomorrow receive a total £100m of funding as part of the scheme.