The Government has announced plans to accelerate housebuilding by making surplus public land available for development, with thousands of new homes set to be built on sites owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Network Rail. A newly established cross-Government taskforce will oversee the initiative, ensuring publicly-owned land is utilised to address the country’s housing shortage.
Unlocking public land for housing
The initiative, which involves officials from the MoD, Treasury, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, aims to speed up housing development on surplus Government land. The first phase will see thousands of homes constructed on former military sites in North Yorkshire, Nottingham, and Cambridgeshire, with further locations to follow.
Network Rail has also unveiled plans to create a development company dedicated to building up to 40,000 homes on its estate over the next decade. This marks a significant effort to support the Government’s target of delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of the current Parliament.
Speaking on the plans, Chancellor Rachel Reeves described surplus Government land as “a huge untapped resource that could create opportunities for the next generation of homeowners.”
“In contrast to the failed approach of the past, we are making the best use of public land to build the homes that families and our Armed Forces need, improving opportunities for homeownership and creating jobs across the country,” she said.
Ms Reeves also noted that the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has confirmed the Government’s recent planning reforms will lead to the highest levels of housebuilding seen in over 40 years.
Pilot scheme at Deverell Barracks
The first site set to undergo development is Deverell Barracks, near Ripon in North Yorkshire, which will be transferred to Homes England to accelerate the construction of 1,300 homes. This pilot project is expected to serve as a model for similar developments in the coming years.
Future plans include unlocking a further 1,300 homes at Chetwynd Barracks near Nottingham and the potential for thousands more at Wyton Airfield in Cambridgeshire.
Defence Secretary John Healey has identified the potential for over 100,000 homes to be built on surplus military land. This includes a commitment to constructing new homes for military families, following the Government’s decision earlier this year to return Armed Forces housing to public ownership.
“This taskforce is a bold first step, as we make the most of an historic opportunity to build over 100,000 homes on surplus defence land in the coming years, delivering on our commitments to British families and our Armed Forces,” Mr Healey said.
He stressed that this initiative is not a simple sell-off of public assets but a “truly cross-Government effort to remove blockers, deliver homes, and boost growth in support of our plan for change.”
Network rail’s housing expansion plans
In a parallel effort, Network Rail is set to build thousands of homes on railway estate land, with the establishment of a dedicated development company.
Key projects in this initiative include:
- Newcastle Forth Yards – Up to 5,000 homes
- Manchester Mayfield Station – 1,500 homes
- Nottingham mixed-use development – 425 homes
These developments form part of a broader strategy to repurpose underutilised land to provide much-needed housing, particularly in urban areas where demand is high.
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A new approach to housebuilding
The Government’s housebuilding drive follows a series of planning reforms aimed at simplifying and accelerating development. The Chancellor has positioned the initiative as a break from past approaches that failed to deliver the necessary number of homes.
While these plans have been widely welcomed, some industry experts have raised concerns about the viability of large-scale housing projects on public land, particularly regarding infrastructure and planning permission challenges. However, the Government remains confident that the new taskforce will be able to navigate these obstacles effectively.
With housebuilding now at the centre of the Government’s economic growth strategy, the release of surplus public land is expected to play a crucial role in meeting housing targets. As the first developments begin, all eyes will be on the success of these projects in delivering much-needed homes for families and key workers across the country.
