Chancellor Gordon Brown yesterday announced plans to spend £150m on infrastructure for new housing developments, as part of the government's comprehensive spending review.
The money, to be called the Community Infrastructure Fund, will provide extra cash between now and 2007-08, the Chancellor said.
The government stressed that it remained committed to preserving or increasing the area of land designated as Green Belt, with at least 60% of new housing development taking place on brownfield sites.
Chancellor Gordon Brown also announced a 50% increase in the budget for social housing. Acting on the recommendations of the Barker review, Gordon Brown pledged an extra 10,000 social homes would be built each year in an effort to combat homelessness.
That expansion will be funded by a £430 million increase in direct investment by 2007-08 compared with 2004-05, an expanded Private Finance Initiative programme and efficiency savings.
In addition, spending to help regenerate communities suffering from low housing demand in the North and the Midlands will grow to over £450 million by the end of the review period, compared with £150 million in 2004-05.
A further £140m will help pensioners and poor families to insulate and heat their homes, working towards the aim of eliminating fuel poverty by 2016.
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