New housing development seen on a brown field site in Essex, UK Source:&nbsp ShutterstockMore than 50 councils have been awarded a slice of a 68 million government fund intended to unlock brownfield sites The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has named 54 councils that will receive funding from the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF).The news comes ahead of the budget announcement this afternoon (30 October), during which Rachel Reeves is expected to outline further details on spending to hit Labour's 1.5 million homes target.The list of councils includes Manchester City Council, which has been awarded 4.1 million. Of this, 2.9 million has been targeted at a single vacant brownfield site earmarked for 220 much-needed affordable homes.AdvertisementOther local authorities on the list include Eastbourne City Council, which has been awarded 2.2 million for 100 new homes, Weston-Super-Mare, with 1.7 million towards more than 100 town-centre homes, and Northampton, with 1.4 million to transform a former bus depot, delivering 72 new homes. See the full list of funding and councils below.The money was released from the second brownfield land release fund (BLRF2), launched by Boris Johnson when he was prime minister, which has already awarded 95 million to councils.The latest 68 million pot from the fund, made available earlier this month, is expected to enable 5,200 homes to be built across the country.The BLRF funding will allow councils to cover the costs such as decontamination, demolition and clearance works of empty buildings and car parks, and to improve infrastructure like internet, water, and power.Housing and planning minister Matthew Pennycook said: The government is committed to a brownfield-first approach to housebuilding ... the funding announced today will support the delivery of thousands of new homes and boost economic growth by unlocking development on scores of abandoned, disused and neglected urban sites across the country.AdvertisementPrime minister Keir Starmer said: I said this government is on the side of the builders, not the blockers. And I meant it.This funding for councils will see disused sites and industrial wastelands transformed into thousands of new homes in places that people want to live and work.Our brownfield-first approach will not only ramp up housebuilding but also create more jobs, deliver much-needed infrastructure, and boost economic growth across the country.Local authorityBLRF Award ()Basildon Borough Council994,151Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council310,000Bracknell Forest Council2,200,000Bristol City Council2,488,643Bromsgrove District Council722,748Cambridge City Council904,851City Of Wolverhampton Council1,400,000Crawley Borough Council3,853,935Cumberland Council1,300,000Darlington Borough Council470,030Eastbourne Borough Council2,200,000Essex County Council1,418,000Exeter City Council860,500Gloucester City Council688,484Gravesham Borough Council1,628,757Great Yarmouth Borough Council81,074Halton Borough Council517,500Isle of Wight Council153,410Kingston upon Hull City Council1,435,318Kirklees Council1,253,031Lancaster City Council73,440Lewes District Council630,000Liverpool City Council305,000London Borough of Barking & Dagenham1,286,899London Borough of Barnet1,276,367London Borough of Camden3,261,639London Borough of Croydon1,258,800London Borough of Hackney855,680London Borough of Haringey2,747,057London Borough of Newham1,720,974Maidstone Borough Council1,898,520Manchester City Council4,123,108Medway Council643,449Mid Suffolk District Council135,000Newcastle upon Tyne City Council2,402,550North Somerset Council1,703,551Peterborough City Council100,000Plymouth City Council540,000Salford City Council1,615,000Sheffield City Council690,000Southend-on-Sea City Council467,000St Helens Council1,019,640Stoke-on-Trent City Council2,217,232Stroud District Council118,993Sunderland City Council4,033,259Surrey Heath Borough Council1,480,300Tandridge District Council250,159Thurrock Council734,370Wakefield Metropolitan District Council1,030,000Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council243,500West Northamptonshire Council2,599,500Wokingham Borough Council1,104,233Worcestershire County Council1,093,234Worthing Borough Council178,891Grand Total68,717,7772024-10-30Anna Highfieldcomment and share