The government has launched a new £165m road fund to unlock stalled housing and employment sites.
The new Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund will target sites where progress has stalled due to funding constraints and will focus on locations on or near to motorways and A-roads across England.
In the coming weeks, National Highways will invite local authorities to register developments for consideration and publish a rolling programme of funded schemes from the end of 2026/27.
Secretary of state Heidi Alexander said: “Too many housing and employment opportunities have stalled for years, held back by the infrastructure that wasn’t there to support them. This fund will pave the way for developments that have sat idle for too long, funding the transport links that stalled sites need to get moving and generating new jobs and opportunities for communities that deserve them. It is a deliberate choice – and a signal that this government is serious about removing the barriers to growth.”
Housing secretary Steve Reed added: “For many people, the dream of a decent home, close to work, and with good connections to their community, has been out of reach. This government is firing on all cylinders to get spades in the ground faster so we can build new homes, bolster our transport links and create jobs in the places most in need. This is exactly the kind of targeted, practical action that will help us reach 1.5 million new homes and create thriving communities where people can put down roots.”
Elliot Shaw, executive director at National Highways, said: “Reliable roads are crucial to housing developments. They shape where people want to live, where businesses want to invest, and where communities can thrive. This fund will help unlock the transport links needed for new homes and jobs and help the government achieve its ambitions on economic growth.”
