Government hands out £732m to councils for housebuilding

Housing and planning minister Yvette Cooper has allocated £732m to councils that support the building of homes.

This investment will help fund the construction of up to 3 million homes by 2020.

The funding, available over the next three years as part of the Growth Points and Growth Areas programme, will benefit 68 towns and cities that have volunteered for housing growth throughout the country.

It will allow local authorities greater flexibility to spend on priority areas without having to ask the government for funding on specific projects.

Cooper said: “Those councils and communities that are doing their bit to deliver more homes should get more cash. They need extra funding for infrastructure as well as for local services – we need to invest in communities, not just in bricks and mortar. That means parks and play areas, as well as transport and public services.”