Solihull Council has successfully secured additional Government funding to help deliver on the latest phase of its ambitious regeneration scheme in Kingshurst.
A £1.05m grant has been awarded to the local authority as part of the Government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF2). This vital funding is being used to undertake a range of activities which are enabling house building to get underway, including land remediation and underground utility works.
The first phase of housebuilding started last month with work beginning on 25 new sustainable social rented homes. Solihull Council has appointed national contractor Willmott Dixon to deliver this initial phase of housing development, which will include three and four-bedroom family homes as well as one-bedroom maisonettes, helping to meet the specific needs of the Kingshurst community. This exciting latest step marks a major milestone for the Council-led regeneration scheme and will make a significant initial contribution to the 78 new homes envisioned in the Kingshurst Masterplan.
Set to be delivered in separate stages, the final scheme will provide a new mix of sustainable housing and modern retail space, centred around a brand-new community health and wellness hub.
The Council and its partners have adopted a phased approach to delivering the scheme, allowing greater flexibility and the chance to explore multiple funding opportunities, which can be unlocked as and when required.
To date, the Council has secured significant contributions from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Homes England, the Government’s Estates Regeneration fund and drawn on their own resources to support this multi-faceted project.
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council and Portfolio Holder for the Economy, said:
“This has been a complex scheme from the start, but one we are committed to making sure we get right. Funding for ambitious schemes like this is always challenging, but we have been really successful in making the case for Kingshurst and unlocking vital funding from a range of sources. This latest BLRF2 funding is a huge boost for the overall scheme and will help us to get on with delivering much needed new housing on the long-vacant former Mountfort pub site.
“The 25 new homes we have started building have been designed with the highest energy efficiency standards in mind and will serve as an exemplar for what can be achieved for the rest of the scheme and elsewhere across the borough.”
The WMCA has already invested £5m into the project as part of its nationally acclaimed, devolved housing and regeneration programme which is providing new homes, jobs and commercial floorspace focused on brownfield land across the West Midlands.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said:
"Solihull Council and WMCA’s leadership in securing funding for the Kingshurst regeneration is commendable. Regeneration projects like Kingshurst play a pivotal role in revitalizing communities, creating homes, jobs, and commercial spaces, which are essential for our ever-expanding population.
"This scheme is expected to deliver 78 new net zero carbon homes for local people so projects such as this are testament to our dedication to meeting the housing needs of our residents, especially desperately needed social homes."