Work on housing sites will get back on track up and down the country thanks to new government funding announced by Housing Minister Brandon Lewis.
The £3 million fund will help deliver up to 25,000 new homes across the country on sites that have been given planning permission but remain caught up in red tape.
Mr Lewis said the money will help tackle some long-standing issues and get spades in the ground and homes built for local families.
The fund is being shared across 60 bids from councils. The successful bids are from areas where large housing developments have been agreed, and councils have shown how government support will allow them to tackle planning barriers and accelerate delivery on as many sites as possible.
Housing and Planning Minister Brandon Lewis said: "Our work to reform the planning system and get Britain building has already cleared the way to build almost half a million new homes since 2010, and seen planning permission granted on 230,000 homes in the last 12 months alone.
"(This) £3 million will be a boost to sites that have the green light for development but are being held back by red tape.
"The money will help councils clear the way for builders to get on site and get work underway quickly, providing families with new homes and boosting local businesses and jobs."
Housebuilding is a key part of the government’s long-term economic plan – with nearly half a million homes delivered since 2010.
The government has radically reformed the planning system to put power back in the hands of communities and get more homes built. As a result planning approvals are at a 10-year high, with permission granted on 230,000 new homes in the last 12 months.
In addition to this, new measures in the Infrastructure Bill on planning conditions will further cut the time it takes for sites with planning permission to start on site, giving much needed certainty to both small and large builders around when decisions will be made and supporting ongoing housing starts.
