Funding of £3.4 million has been secured to support the progress of four housing schemes in Basildon, Colchester and Tendring.
Grants have been secured from the Government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund initiative, which seeks to support the release of council-owned land for housing.
Funding will be used to fund four schemes across Essex:
- Chapelgate, Basildon - a disused car park very close to Basildon town centre requiring land remediation prior to unlocking a housing development of 105 units. 50% will be social rent and shared ownership with 52 outright sale.
- Ghyllgrove, Basildon - a former nursing home in disrepair with a need for land remediation prior to unlocking a housing development for housing of 34 units. 15% will be affordable rent and shared ownership with 29 outright sale.
- Essex County Hospital, Colchester - former hospital site located close to Colchester city centre in a conservation area. It consists of listed and locally listed buildings, significant archaeology, substantial contamination in buildings and the grounds. The project will create 63 units in phase one and 120 over three phases.
- Carnarvon Terrace, Tendring - demolition of a derelict building to provide two housing blocks creating 28 apartments. One block will contain ground floor commercial space. Improvements also planned to the adjacent public car park.
The grants will build on the significant success of the Greater Essex One Public Estate partnership in securing funding in recent years.
In March 2021, our housing development arm, Essex Housing, supported partners across the county to secure over £2 million of government funding. This supported seven local authority led housing schemes, aiming to create quality housing on brownfield sites.
Cllr Lesley Wagland OBE, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Renewal, Infrastructure and Planning, said: “We are thrilled that the partnership’s efforts and success continue to be recognised by government. The One Public Estate programme has been hugely successful across Greater Essex and this valuable funding means that even more quality homes can be built.”