A £9.686 million investment that will facilitate the delivery of more than 1,000 proposed new homes in Bristol was announced last week following our successful government funding bids, submitted with our partners in the West of England combined authority.

It was great to hear on Thursday that the council had been successful in two bids for funding to unlock housing delivery in the Southmead and Lockleaze areas, from the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund.

This funding will enable us to develop and bring forward regeneration plans that are desperately needed in these areas.

There has long been a lack of housing diversity in the Lockleaze and Southmead areas in terms of the kinds of housing available and tenure.

Funding of £6.686 million has been awarded to the Unlocking Lockleaze Development project and it is proposed that this will support investment in sustainable transport infrastructure improvements locally, which will in turn support the delivery of more than 800 new homes in line with local community and council ambitions.

A further £3 million will go to the proposed Arnside and Glencoyne Square Regeneration, which is supported by the Southmead Development Trust. This funding will support the delivery of up to 300 new homes as part of this project by helping to provide improvements to the shopping area, green spaces and drainage systems.

Plans to bring forward both proposed schemes are to be considered for approval over the coming months.

We have a huge local demand for homes so I am delighted that the government has recognised that need, with this funding allocation. This news demonstrates how we are working with the city and the government on our ambitious target to deliver 2,000 new homes, including 800 affordable homes, per year by 2020.