RFG comments on brownfield railway land announcement
Rail Freight Group responds to Government’s plan to build 40,000 homes on surplus railway land
COMMENTING on the Government’s plans to build new homes on surplus brownfield railway land, the Rail Freight Group (RFG) is calling on the Government not to inadvertently restrict the availability of sites for rail freight, or hamper the operation of existing locations through inappropriate adjacent development.
Yesterday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander unlocked surplus railway land across the country to kickstart the £1 billion of development of up to 40,000 new homes over a decade, with over 15,000 in the next five years.
A chair has also been appointed for Platform4, a new development company which aims to spur thousands of new jobs and local regeneration across the country, in areas including Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Cambridge
Formed from the merger of London and Continental Railways Ltd and Network Rail’s property development team, Platform4 is tasked with breathing life into forgotten corners of Britain’s railway land, from disused goods yards to vacant industrial sites, attracting private investment and accelerating community regeneration.
The company will tackle the challenges associated with building on railway land and will form partnerships with other public sector landowners to make the land more attractive to private developers.
The launch of the government-owned property company and the appointment of its chair, Bek Seeley, marks a significant milestone for the Government’s Plan for Change commitment to build 1.5 million homes, with Platform4 aiming to attract more than £350 million in private sector investment.
Four sites already earmarked for development include Newcastle, Manchester, Cambridge, and Nottingham, which together will see more than 2,700 new homes delivered and brownfield land transformed into vibrant neighbourhoods.
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: ‘We are facing a housing crisis which has led to a generation being locked out of homeownership, all while land sits empty and disused across the country.
‘We said we’d do everything possible to get Britain building, and that’s why today we’re setting out how we’ll get more homes built across surplus railway network sites in line with our brownfield-first approach and our Plan for Change target of delivering 1.5 million homes.’
Responding to the announcement, Rail Freight Group director general Maggie Simpson OBE said: ‘We recognize the Government’s plans to build new houses, and with every freight train conveying enough materials for 30 homes, rail freight is a critical enabler of that ambition.’
However, she added: ‘Rail freight must have efficient terminals across the country to operate, and it is essential that government plans do not inadvertently restrict the availability of sites for rail freight, or hamper the operation of existing locations through inappropriate adjacent development.
‘This is particularly critical in urban environments where suitable sites are increasingly scarce, yet demand for construction aggregates is at its highest.’
