Thousands of new homes and jobs are set to be unlocked across England as the government launches a new £165 million Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund, designed to remove long‑standing infrastructure barriers that have stalled development.
The fund will provide targeted support for housing and employment sites that cannot progress due to transport‑related funding gaps, helping deliver vital upgrades and connections that allow construction to begin. It forms part of the government’s commitment to raise living standards and deliver 1.5 million new homes this Parliament.
Launching in the coming weeks, the Accelerator Fund will focus on locations on or near motorways and major A‑roads, ensuring local communities benefit from both new homes and the jobs and opportunities associated with major new developments.
The new fund forms a key part of Road Investment Strategy 3 – the government’s £27 billion investment programme for England’s motorways and major A‑roads between 2026 and 2031.
Announced last week, RIS3 is designed not only to maintain and upgrade the existing road network, but also to use it as a driver of economic growth by addressing historic infrastructure constraints that have prevented new homes and commercial sites from progressing.
Under RIS3, the Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund will:
- Bridge funding gaps for essential transport works
- Unblock stalled housing sites
- Accelerate delivery of employment land
- Support long‑term economic resilience across regions
- Help communities finally see long‑planned development take shape
National Highways will invite local authorities to register development sites for consideration in the coming weeks. A rolling programme of funded schemes will be published from the end of 2026/27.
The fund is expected to enable:
- Thousands of new homes
- Delivery of new employment sites
- Creation of thousands of jobs
- Regeneration in communities where development has been delayed for years
By removing transport barriers, which are often the most expensive and complex elements of early‑stage development, the scheme aims to support both private investment and public‑sector regeneration ambitions.
RIS3 also includes a record £8.4 billion dedicated to resurfacing and renewing more than 9,000 kilometres of motorway and major A‑road lanes. This major investment will tackle decades of wear and restore key infrastructure to modern standards.
Around two‑thirds of structures on England’s strategic road network are now more than 45 years old, prompting a significant programme of works to upgrade bridges, viaducts, and ageing concrete road surfaces.
The government estimates that overall RIS3 spending will support around 50,000 jobs across England over the five‑year investment period.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:
“Too many housing and employment opportunities have stalled for years, held back by the infrastructure that wasn’t there to support them.
“This fund will pave the way for developments that have sat idle for too long, funding the transport links that stalled sites need to get moving and generating new jobs and opportunities for communities that deserve them.
“It is a deliberate choice - and a signal that this government is serious about removing the barriers to growth.”
By focusing on practical solutions that enable stalled sites to move forward, the fund is expected to have an immediate impact on local growth and help communities benefit sooner from new housing, jobs and improved transport links.
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