Mayor in driving seat to shape housing plans

LABOUR has promised to “turbocharge” the building of new social housing in the North East with the investment of more than £1 billion.

- By DANIEL HOLLAND

The Government hailed “life-changing” plans to deliver thousands of new social and affordable homes.

Amid questions over whether Labour can hit a target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029, ministers have allocated the North East an expected £1.1 billion under the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) - a £39 billion scheme running until 2036.

It is unclear at this stage how quickly that money will be handed out.

A further £17.6 million investment in the regeneration of brownfield land for housing, previously announced by the North East mayor this summer, was also confirmed by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

The Government said that regional mayor Kim McGuinness would have the power to “shape the course of action” by setting out what type of homes will be built and where through the indicative £1.1 billion pot, though bids for funding will still have to be approved by Homes England.