Brownfield railway land to unlock 40,000 homes

40,000 homes could be developed over the next decade, as the government unveils the start of a £1 billion development project to transform brownfield railway land into homes, green spaces, shops, and hotels.

The government is unveiling their new company, Platform4, which will kickstart the delivery of homes, with over 15,000 to be developed in the next five years, in areas including Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, and Cambridge. This is expected to generate an additional £227 million by delivering at pace and at scale.

Previously, London and Continental Railways Ltd and Network Rail’s Property Team operated independently, which caused a fragmented system fraught with inefficiencies, duplicated efforts, and missed opportunities for strategic development.

Platform4, to be chaired by Ben Seeley, aims to attract more than £350 in private sector investment, with four sites already being earmarked: Newcastle Forth Goods Yards, Manchester Mayfield, Cambridge and Nottingham, which together have the potential to deliver 2,700 new homes.

Transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “Our railways are more than just connections between places—they create economic opportunity and drive regeneration.

“It’s exciting to picture the thousands of families who will live in these future homes, the vibrant neighbourhoods springing up and the new businesses that will launch thanks to these developments.

“Platform4 will breathe new life into these spaces, delivering tens of thousands of new homes as part of our Plan for Change promise to build 1.5 million homes, while reviving communities around rail stations, supporting jobs and driving economic growth.”