North Essex Garden Communities (NEGC) is to receive £1million of Government funding, it has been announced.
The company, a collaboration between Braintree District, Tendring District, Colchester Borough and Essex County Councils to develop new purpose-built settlements over the coming 50+ years, has received the backing from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government – and has now received more than £3million of national funding since its inception.
John Spence CBE, Chairman of North Essex Garden Communities Ltd and Essex County Council representative on the NEGC board, welcomed the funding which will enable NEGC to continue to take forward the work it needs to do in order to bring forward new Garden Communities. He said:
“The Government rightly recognises the importance of North Essex both in terms of its economic potential, and also in the work being done to look at how homes of the future will be provided in a manner that supports the creation of cohesive communities and ensures the necessary social and strategic infrastructure is provided.
“The partnership of Councils has been very clear that housing, jobs, economic growth, skills and infrastructure are inextricably linked. The best way of achieving these aims in the long-term is through the creation of purpose-built new communities.
“This is of course a long-term project and NEGC is undertaking the preparatory work that a traditional developer would do ahead of any large scheme coming forward. It should be welcomed that the Government recognises this approach and has continued to have confidence in what is a nationally important project.
“Equally, we recognise the need to spend the money of national and local taxpayers carefully and responsibly.”
Announcing the funding as part of £9million of investment across the UK, Housing Minister Kit Malthouse MP said:
“We have not built enough homes in this country for the last three decades, and we are turning that around as we work towards our target to build 300,000 properties a year by the mid-2020s.
“This £9 million funding boost is giving councils the support and cash injection they need so they can finish planning new developments and get diggers on site.”