Fund will support transport links so stalled housing and employment sites can go ahead
Thousands of new homes and jobs are set to be unlocked as the government launches a new £165 million fund to remove the barriers holding back housing and key growth developments across England.
The new Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund will target sites where progress has stalled due to funding constraints, delivering the transport improvements and links needed to get building started.
Launching in the coming weeks, it supports the government’s plan to raise living standards and deliver 1.5 million new homes across England this Parliament.
The new fund forms part of Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3), the government’s £27 billion for England’s motorways and major A-roads from 2026 to 2031.
Announced last week, it is designed not just to maintain and renew the existing network, but to ensure England’s roads actively support economic growth, removing the infrastructure barriers that have held back new homes, jobs and investment.
The new Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund will bridge the funding gap for critical transport works to unblock and accelerate the delivery of housing and employment sites.
It will focus on locations on or near to motorways and A-roads across England, ensuring communities can benefit from new homes and the jobs and opportunities that come with them.
Secretary of State Heidi Alexander said:
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:
National Highways will invite local authorities in the coming weeks to register developments for consideration and publish a rolling programme of funded schemes from the end of 2026/27.
The result will be new homes built, new employment sites and jobs created, and communities that have waited for development finally seeing it happen.
National Highways Executive Director Elliot Shaw said:
At the heart of the government’s RIS3 plan is a record £8.4 billion for renewing and resurfacing over 9,000 kilometres of motorway and major A-road lanes - tackling the backlog of ageing roads and worn surfaces that has built up over decades.
Around two thirds of structures on the network are now over 45 years old, and this unprecedented renewals investment will address critical bridges, viaducts and concrete road surfaces before they reach the end of their life.
The overall RIS3 investment is expected to support around 50,000 jobs across England over the 5-year road period.