Local councils will be encouraged to release surplus public land and property, as part of the Government’s productivity plan to create new jobs and boost economic growth.
Through the Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association (LGA)-led One Public Estate programme local councils will be encouraged to share buildings and services, reduce running costs and release land in order to boost development.
The 32 councils that are currently on the programme own 28 per cent of council land and property assets in England. They expect to deliver an additional 9,000 homes, 20,000 jobs, raise £129 million in capital receipts from land sales and cut running costs by £77 million over five years.
In the Budget it was announced that £6 million would go towards forming new partnerships of councils to transform local services and deliver local growth.
Minister for Cabinet Office, the Rt Hon Matthew Hancock said: “Over the last five years the Government’s property reforms have raised £1.4 billion for hard-working taxpayers and in the years ahead we will go further, and faster.
“By freeing up land and encouraging growth we are helping local communities to spring to life and find a new use for old government land.”
LGA Chairman, Cllr Gary Porter, said:”Through One Public Estate, councils have shown that they are perfectly placed to act as leaders of place and deliver effective cross public sector asset management.
“It is great to see in practice and how through the programme we are seeing the integration of services, local economic growth, and support more sustainable local government.
“It’s clear this isn’t easy work and the investment of time, energy and patience, as well as funds, needs to go hand in hand with strong leadership. But I think what the One Public Estate programme has shown us is that the hard work is worth it.”
Successes to date include City of York Council entering a partnership with Network Rail to jointly release city centre land for the development of 1,100 new homes and 80,000 sq m of central business district and Leeds City Council working in partnership with Leeds Community Health on joint use of their land and property to underpin delivery of integrated health and social care services across the city.