A HOUSING scheme in Stockport is the only one in the North West to make it through to the next round in initial bidding for money from the Get Britain Building programme.
It’s really pleasing to see that Covent Garden Village is one of the first schemes to be taken forward to the next stage of the Get Britain Building programme.
The Government pot of £420m was three times oversubscribed with 176 schemes put forward hoping for funding.
The Seddon Group has made the first cut with the second phase of development at Hopes Carr which is part of the wider Covent Garden City regeneration programme with Stockport Council which will bring 250 new homes, new shops and a park.
A block of 46 apartments is already built and Seddons are bidding for funding to start on 41 more homes.
“This is encouraging news for Covent Garden Village and we are keen to see more homes being delivered and progress being made on this important local project," said Deborah McLaughlin, HCA executive director north west.
"Our partners have once again demonstrated their appetite to get Britain building by developing much needed new homes. It’s really pleasing to see that Covent Garden Village is one of the first schemes to be taken forward to the next stage of the Get Britain Building programme.”
Housing Minister Grant Shapps argues that it was the simple application process which prompted the overwhelming response rather than the desperate need of developers to get access to working capital.
Taken together, the bids received so far cover 392 individual sites. But overall, this £420million investment is expected to unlock the building of up to 16,000 homes on sites that are currently stalled - creating up to 30,000 jobs in construction and related industries by 2014.
You can see the full list of what are described as '18 of the most important local housing sites that subject to due diligence and contracting could benefit from Government cash to get builders back to work' here.
