Tag: Homes England

The press release issued by Homes England on 3 September 2025.

New partnership seeks to scale up existing collaborative working to unlock significant housing and regeneration plans for the area.

Homes England, the government’s housing and regeneration agency, and York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) have today signed a Strategic Place Partnership (SPP) to catalyse the delivery of the region’s ambitious housing and regeneration goals.

The partnership formalises the alignment of YNYCA’s strategic priorities with the broad range of Homes England’s tools, including funding, capacity and expertise. Teams from YNYCA and Homes England will work together to unlock significant housing and regeneration plans in the area, boosting local placemaking ambitions through partnership working.

As well as bringing forward a new way of working for housing delivery in the region, the SPP will build on the collaboration already happening on projects like York Central, one of the country’s largest city centre regeneration sites with the potential for up to 2,500 new homes.

The partnership will be underpinned by the development of a shared business plan aligned to local priorities and focused on a range of developments across the area including Maltkiln and Elvington Garden Village.

Through the SPP, Homes England will work collaboratively with YNYCA to boost the availability of new and affordable homes for York and North Yorkshire residents.

Homes England now has nine Strategic Place Partnerships in place with Mayoral Strategic Authorities across England.

Pat Ritchie CBE, Chair of Homes England, said:

Our Strategic Place Partnership with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority signals our commitment to working with, and for, local leaders to drive real growth in their communities.

In York, for example, we are already working with partners including Network Rail, the City of York Council and the National Railway Museum to drive forward the transformation of York Central, one of the UK’s largest brownfield sites, into new homes, cultural spaces and infrastructure.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, said:

Across York and North Yorkshire, we are in the midst of a housing crisis, with some of the most expensive homes in the UK. With over 10,000 households on housing waiting lists in our region, we must act now.

We need to build the right homes in the right places, ensuring people in all our towns, cities and villages can stay and live in our region.

Bringing together Homes England, our councils and key organisations through the York and North Yorkshire Strategic Place Partnership will help us all deliver on our shared vision to get building.

As we work towards the government’s target of 1.5 million new homes this parliament, partnerships like this will be crucial in ensuring we deliver the right homes in the right places, in this case by supporting both urban regeneration and rural advancement across York and North Yorkshire.

Notes to editors:

1. The strengthened relationship between Homes England and the Mayoral Combined Authority follows the publication of the government’s English Devolution White Paper in December 2024, which details the plan to empower local leaders and deepen devolution across England.
2. The white paper highlights Homes England’s work on SPPs and the important part they play in devolution.

The press release issued by Homes England on 19 August 2025.

Government has approved funding package to accelerate the creation of new homes, public realm and commercial space at Forth Yards.

A new funding package worth £121.8 million has brought the transformation of Quayside West at Forth Yards in the heart of Newcastle another step closer for people of the city.

The package will fund vital remediation, groundworks and infrastructure activity, fixing complex land issues that have long acted as a barrier to investment at the site, which despite its prime location near Newcastle Central Station and the city centre, has lain derelict for decades.

Government has approved the business case for the package, developed by Homes England, working in partnership with the North East Mayor and Combined Authority, Newcastle City Council and Network Rail.

Matthew Pennycook, Housing and Planning Minister, said:

This government has a brownfield first approach to development, and we want to see previously used land prioritised wherever possible.

We are acting to make it easier to build homes on abandoned, disused and neglected urban brownfield sites across the country – boosting housing supply, regenerating communities, and delivering economic growth.

Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor, said:

This derelict land is in a great location on the banks of the Tyne yet has stood mostly unused for 20 years, which is a huge waste of potential.

That’s why we promised to transform areas like this and now that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’ve secured funding so we can get the last brownfield site in Newcastle city centre ready to start building the homes that local people need.

This won’t be a vast estate, where people can’t access the services they need, but a thriving community with great transport links, green spaces and shops.

We’re driving the transformation our region needs – from brownfield to beautiful – and today we’re announcing a huge step towards achieving that here at Forth Yards.

The new funding package will pave the way for a new development platform and subsequent appointment of a private sector delivery partner, with the procurement process due to start in the coming months, while public sector partners will continue to accelerate progress across the whole Forth Yards site.

Quayside West, a parcel of land with capacity for around 1,100 homes alone, was brought into public ownership in 2024 after being acquired by Homes England, the government’s housing and regeneration agency.

It’s one of the largest parcels of land at the centre of Forth Yards, which is set to become a new, sustainable mixed-use neighbourhood next to the city’s central station and Quayside, giving the city a new, well connected western gateway.

The site is a strategic priority for Newcastle City Council and the North East Combined Authority, which last year strengthened ties further with Homes England through a Strategic Place Partnership.

Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Karen Kilgour, said:

This is fantastic news and shows the Government share our vision for the area.

Forth Yards is arguably Newcastle’s most exciting development site that in time will provide thousands of new homes and create hundreds of jobs.

The funding will act as catalyst for development, allowing us to bring forward infrastructure improvements that will open up the site to attract much-needed private sector investment.

In about 15 years it will have created a whole new part of the city to the west and provided a new community for our residents while adding significantly to our economy.

Pat Ritchie, Chair of Homes England, said:

This significant investment in Forth Yards demonstrates the Agency’s commitment to transforming previously undeveloped brownfield sites into thriving communities. By working in partnership with Newcastle City Council, the North East Combined Authority and Network Rail, we’re addressing the complex challenges that have held back this strategically important site for decades.

The new funding package will unlock the potential for thousands of new homes right in the heart of Newcastle, supporting the government’s mission of building 1.5 million homes this parliament.

The news today follows the recent government announcement on Forth Goods Yard, another parcel of land at Forth Yards, being one of the first regeneration opportunities to be brought forward as part of the creation of Platform4, a new property company focused on transforming rail-led land through the creation of new homes and neighbourhoods.

Robin Dobson, Group Property Director, Network Rail said:

As Network Rail Property bring forward planning submission for the first phase of Forth Yards with up to 600 homes this year, we welcome this financial commitment to unlock the wider Forth Yards estate delivering a further 2,500 homes.

Forth Goods Yard has been landlocked for decades and the combined efforts of Network Rail Property, Homes England and the Newcastle City Council we will enable the transformation of this strategically important site for generations to come.

The press release issued by Homes England on 26 October 2023.

Homes England has awarded £5m grant from the Affordable Homes Programme to Somerset Council to support the North Taunton Woolaway Project.

The grant allocation is the first of its kind, following the new regeneration flexibilities to the Affordable Home Programme that we agreed with the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) earlier this year.

These flexibilities will enable funding to be used on replacement homes, alongside new affordable homes, as part of wider estate regeneration plans.

North Taunton was identified for regeneration as it is an area with some of the county’s highest rates of social deprivation and contains some of the most energy-inefficient homes in Somerset. The North Taunton Woolaway Project is a site comprising of non-traditional homes that were built using prefabricated reinforced concrete panels instead of traditional brick.

In total, 162 energy- inefficient Woolaway homes will be demolished and replaced with 229 council homes for affordable rent. Homes England will be funding 66 of these new build replacement homes, with the remaining homes funded by Somerset Council .

Jackie Jacob, Director – Affordable Housing Grants said:

“This funding is the first grant allocation following the introduction of our new flexibilities to support our partners plans for estate regeneration. The Agency’s new Strategic Plan objectives will support Somerset Council in its ambitions to regenerate North Taunton, an area with some of the highest social deprivation levels in the county.

”The North Taunton Woolaway Project is a signal of the funding open to affordable housing providers to accelerate the regeneration of social housing and help level up communities across the country.

“We encourage all providers and local authorities to come and talk to us as early as possible if they need support to develop their proposals – we’re here to help.”

The regeneration project will be rolled out across four phases, two of which will be part funded by the Affordable Homes Programme to deliver 100 homes, including a variety of bungalows, flats and houses. The agency’s goal is that that this funding will enable the council to accelerate the delivery of phases three and four.

This type of construction is time-limited due to structural issues, therefore, demolishing these existing homes and replacing them is much more beneficial and makes the 2050 zero carbon target much more achievable. All new homes will be built to low carbon standards and will achieve EPC B or above, much more efficient in comparison to the current C-F rating of the Woolaway properties.

At the core of this regeneration project is community engagement, the development being a result of public consultation, one-to-one meetings with local residents and a resident design group. This has enabled the new homes to be designed with residents’ needs in mind, contributing to successful placemaking. Current residents have been rehomed whilst works take place, with the option of returning to settle in their new community.

Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, Lead Member for Communities, Housing and Culture said:

“I’m thrilled about the impact this grant will have on the North Taunton Woolaway Project. This funding represents a tangible commitment to improving the lives of our tenants, allowing us to build high quality, low energy homes with the blend of properties our community needs. It allows us to progress our North Taunton regeneration scheme which, through improved housing, address the social and health challenges parts of our community face as well as providing much needed new homes at affordable rent.

“I want to acknowledge the invaluable input of our local residents whose insights have played a pivotal role in shaping this project. Their input has been instrumental, and this project stands as a testament to the strength of community engagement.

“We extend our gratitude to Homes England for their commitment to the North Taunton Woolaway Project. Their £5 million grant is a game-changer for our community. We look forward to using this grant to create a thriving, sustainable future for North Taunton.”

A travel plan will be put in place to encourage residents to use sustainable forms of transport and will be achieved through the use of travel vouchers and cycle storage. Biodiversity improvement measures will also be put in place, including the implementation of bat boxes, bee bricks and swift boxes, to aid local wildlife.

Next steps

Now allocation has been granted, the agency will be working with Somerset Council throughout the subsequent delivery phases. The first phase will complete in 2024 with phase two due for completion towards the end of 2025.

The press release issued by Homes England on 17 October 2023.

Peter Freeman will continue in role for further two years.

The Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has reappointed Peter Freeman as Chair of Homes England, for two years from 23 October 2023 to 22 October 2025.

Homes England Chief Executive Peter Denton said:

I’m very happy Peter is to continue as Chair of Homes England for another term, leading an organisation equipped with a huge range of skills and expertise, but with a single laser focus on supporting local housing and regeneration visions to become a reality.

His experience, leadership, and dedication is a huge asset for the Agency, our partners, and the sector as we work together to build thriving places for communities across the country. I look forward to our continued collaboration as Peter embarks on his new term.

The Chair will be responsible for the proper running of the Board, and guiding and influencing the Agency at a strategic level, providing confident, clear and consistent leadership, and act as an ambassador for Homes England.

The press release issued by Housing England on 13 October 2023.

Jackie Jacob has played a critical role in the provision of affordable homes across the country.

Jackie Jacob, Homes England’s Director of Affordable Housing Grants, is to retire in December following a 32-year career with the Agency and its predecessor organisations.

Throughout her career Jackie has worked tirelessly to drive and improve the provision of affordable housing across England, supporting local authorities, housing associations and the wider housing sector including a considerable period in the late 90s with the regulator.

She has played a key part in the delivery of hundreds of thousands of quality, safe, permanent homes to help people in temporary or challenging accommodation conditions.

Jackie has stewarded more than £20 billion in grant funding over the last 15 years alone, delivering thousands of much needed affordable homes each year, with over 90,000 since the beginning of 2020 alone.

Homes England Chief Executive Peter Denton said:

Jackie’s unsurpassed passion and dedication to the sector has translated into a life changing impact on countless individuals and families. Over many years I have seen first-hand her skill in translating policy and strategy into the human, delivering social justice by providing more homes for more people where they are most needed.

I am sad she is leaving, but I wish her all the best in her well-deserved retirement. What is wonderful is her approach is infectious and she leaves behind an excellent team who share her dedication. We have now commenced the search for the right person to take on Jackie’s mantle, one of the most important roles in housing.

Jackie added:

After an extremely rewarding and fulfilling career in the affordable housing sector and 32 years at Homes England I am announcing my retirement. I am extremely proud of what we have achieved at Homes England and look forward to seeing the work of the Agency, in the years ahead.

I would like to thank my team for their hard work and dedication in providing the tools our partners need to deliver more affordable homes for those who need them, and I have no doubt they will continue their fantastic work. It has been a pleasure and a privilege working with a wide range of talented people from across the sector.

Notes to Editors:

• In the late 90s and early 2000s Jackie held senior roles in the affordable housing sector with a focus on housing regulation and investment in London, delivering major housing projects in the capital. In the lead up to devolution in London, she stayed in the region to help support the transition as the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA) powers In London transferred to the Greater London Authority
• During the 2008 market downturn, Jackie played a key role in advising the government and the wider sector on possible interventions and helping to deliver the Agency’s response to stabilise the housing market.
• Throughout her career Jackie has been involved in the design and management of multiple Affordable Homes Programmes and other grant and loan programmes. Alongside the main AHP this includes Help to Buy, Custom Build, Affordable Housing Guarantees, Community Led Housing, Move On Fund, and more recently the Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme, her input has been instrumental.
• Recruitment for the new Director for Affordable Housing Grant is now underway.

About Homes England

As the government’s housing and regeneration agency we believe that affordable, quality homes in well-designed places are key to improving people’s lives. We make this happen by using our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to both – bring investment to communities and get more quality homes built.

The press release issued by Homes England on 24 July 2023.

The Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land fund will focus on regenerating brownfield land and supporting the creation of new settlements.

A single, more integrated and flexible Homes England fund

The Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land fund (BIL) will span Homes England’s land, grant and equity activities so it can better support the needs of places, partners and their projects.

The primary objective of BIL is to bring forward strategic sites and housing-led opportunities which support economic growth and long-term housing supply, with at least 60% of activity focused on brownfield land – land that has been previously used and is now vacant, derelict and sometimes contaminated.

Our role is to work with partners to find the optimum solution for infrastructure, land and enabling – this could be at a place or individual site level – and may span single interventions or packages of integrated activity.

Over the lifetime of the fund, we’ll invest £1bn to unlock 40,000 homes, 200,000sqm of employment floorspace and significant levels of private sector investment.

We’ll do this by either undertaking activity directly as Homes England, working in partnership, or by contracting directly with public and private sector partners.

Eligibility for funding

Up to £1 billion is available for projects across England. However, we would expect the main source of funding for projects within the Greater London Authority, Greater Manchester and West Midlands Combined Authority areas to be accessed locally in line with arrangements agreed with government.

You may be eligible for funding if:

• you meet the strategic aims of the fund
• your project would stall, or could not progress, without this funding
• your project will lead to the development of new housing
• your project represents value for money
• you are a UK-registered corporate entity, limited liability partnership (LLP), or English local authority or public entity
• your project will contract by 31 March 2026

Full details about the fund and how to apply can be found here.

The press release issued by Homes England on 2 May 2023.

Homes England has awarded its new DaRTS Framework, which will deliver a broad range of built environment professional and technical services on its land.

The DaRTS Framework, which will run from 2023–2027, has been introduced as the replacement for the Multidisciplinary Framework 2019-2023 for accessing technical and professional services.

Barry Cummins, Chief Development Officer at Homes England, said: “We want to work with ambitious suppliers who can help us drive regeneration and housing delivery to create high-quality homes and thriving places across the country.

“Suppliers appointed to the new framework bring with them a wealth of knowledge and housing expertise that will enhance the work of Homes England. In addition to the re-procurement of a multidisciplinary lot providing a comprehensive range of technical and professional services, a second placemaking-focussed lot will allow us to engage directly with specialists to help deliver our agenda to promote quality, decency, good design and sustainability.”

Framework structure and suppliers

The framework, which is Homes England’s largest professional services framework, will feature a new two-part lotted structure to provide direct access to suppliers with a place-making specialism.

Lot 1 – end-to-end technical and professional services

Under lot 1, the framework will provide access to consultants delivering a wide range of multidisciplinary professional and technical services. The services available under lot 1 include structural and civil engineering services, transport and traffic services and environment and sustainability services. This lot also includes non-mandatory asbestos services that will be delivered by suppliers who successfully tender to deliver these services.

Non-mandatory service suppliers are indicated with an asterisk below.

• AECOM
• Arcadis Consulting (UK) Limited *
• Atkins Limited
• Avison Young (UK) Ltd *
• Buro Happold Limited
• Campbell Reith Hill LLP *
• Gleeds Advisory Ltd
• Jacobs U.K. Limited
• Mace Consult Limited
• Mott MacDonald Limited
• Ove Arup & Partners Ltd *
• Pell Frischmann Consultants Ltd *
• Ramboll UK Limited
• Stantec UK Limited *
• Tetra Tech Limited *
• Turner & Townsend Project Management Limited
• WSP UK Limited.*

Lot 2 – placemaking, master planning and design services

Lot 2 has been created to reflect the importance of quality placemaking and will provide the ability to engage directly with master planning, landscape design and ecology, planning, and community engagement specialists.

The suppliers for lot 2 are:

• Allies & Morrison LLP
• BDP
• David Lock Associates Limited
• Fabrik Limited
• HTA Design LLP
• LDA Design
• Maccreanor Lavington Limited
• Prior+Partners Ltd
• Rolfe Judd Planning AR Urbanism Ltd
• Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design Ltd.