Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

UK government calls for council participation in 'massive programme of development' around rail stations

19 Apr 2016, 3:22 pm

The UK government has called for councils in England to identify land around railway stations that could be regenerated to deliver new offices and commercial space and up to 10,000 new homes.

The government said in the 2016 Budget that the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) would work with councils and Network Rail to release land around railway stations for regeneration, including for housing development.

In a joint statement released last week, the HCA and the Department for Communities and Local Government said the government "wants to hear from at least 20 local authorities" with proposals to take part in "a massive programme of development of railway stations and surrounding land".

The statement said three councils had already come forward with proposals. It said a proposal from City of York Council suggested that up to 2,500 homes and around 100,000 square metres of office and commercial space could be supported on land at York Station.

Taunton Deane Borough Council and Swindon Borough Council have also proposed the regeneration of land around Taunton Station and Swindon Station, respectively, to provide homes and commercial spaces.

Planning expert Matthew Fox of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said: "This announcement is welcome news and follows on from the government's drive to promote brownfield redevelopment. In London, developing sites around transport hubs has been continuing apace and this announcement takes that theme to the regions. Exploiting Network Rail's portfolio may also be a catalyst for other landowners to bring forward their land for development as part of more comprehensive development. With councils under increasing pressure to finding housing numbers without encroaching on the green belt, this additional source of housing will be attractive."

"The continued pressure to fight for new inward investment into regional towns and cities means gateway locations such as railway stations are becoming more important in making a strong, lasting, positive impression of the area to attract new occupiers," said Fox. "The effects of regeneration of these important hubs should not be under-estimated and will no doubt prove popular beyond those three initial councils mentioned in the statement."