The redevelopment of a goods yard in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, with 670 homes and a transport centre, and the construction of a college in Ashford, Kent, are among projects in the housing growth areas that have been earmarked for government funding.

The ODPM last week announced that more than 70 projects had gone forward to the second round of bidding to win a share of the £200m available. The funding has been set aside for capital projects that deliver housing alongside infrastructure and community facilities in the housing growth areas of Milton Keynes/South Midlands, Ashford and the M11 corridor in Essex and Cambridgeshire.

Housing and planning minister Yvette Cooper said: “This funding will cover projects from enhancing local woodland and recreation areas to new transport infrastructure, and from town centre revitalisation to improved leisure facilities.”

Bidders for the money have to submit their full proposals to the ODPM by November. Final decisions on which projects will receive funding will be made early next year and the winning projects are expected to be up and running by next April.

This funding will cover projects from enhancing woodland to leisure facilities

Yvette Cooper, housing minister