Housing initiative to create new jobs in construction

23/12/2009 17:49:43

The government is to allocate new funding for homebuilding and regeneration schemes that will boost construction recruitment in the north and Midlands.

Housing minister John Healey has announced that £311 million will be made available during 2010-11 to help housing and regeneration projects that are already underway in these regions, creating over 1,000 construction jobs and apprenticeships in the process.

This is on top of the £1.7 billion spent on providing new housing since June and will be allocated among 11 designated pathfinder areas, including East Lancashire, which will receive £48 million and Merseyside, which was granted £47 million.

Mr Healey stressed the need "to bring existing homes and communities back up to scratch in parts of the country that previously lagged behind the rest".

He added that "this power of government investment will also support the construction industry during the recession, create opportunities for local workers and apprentices to learn a trade".

Construction work on residential projects already rose by two per cent last month, according to recent figures from Glenigan.

Construction jobs in the North West

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