Stalled housing and employment sites to be unlocked with new road fund

The launch of the Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund will address the critical infrastructure deficiencies that have stalled housing and employment developments across England.

Announced jointly by the Department for Transport and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and endorsed by Secretary of State Heidi Alexander and Housing Secretary Steve Reed, this measure is a direct intervention to unlock developments hampered by funding constraints for essential road links.

This new fund is incorporated within the broader Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3), which sets forth a record £27 billion commitment for the renewal and expansion of England’s strategic and major road networks between 2026 and 2031. The Accelerator Fund is specifically designed to bridge funding gaps for road infrastructure on or near motorways and major A-roads, targeting locations where schemes have long been held back by lack of viable access or transport connections. With a strategic focus on areas historically disadvantaged in previous investment rounds, the policy aims to ensure more equitable regional growth and access to new housing and employment opportunities.

Practical implementation will see local authorities invited by National Highways to register eligible sites, paving the way for a rolling programme of funded schemes to be publicly outlined from the end of 2026/27. The government has signalled its intent to expedite the delivery of up to 1.5 million new homes within this parliamentary term. The Infrastructure Fund provides a clear, actionable pathway for developers, suppliers, and local authorities seeking to advance dormant or stalled schemes that otherwise meet local demand, but have faced barriers due to insufficient transport infrastructure.

Government ministers have expressed a clear expectation that the fund will play a pivotal role in stimulating new construction activity, generating employment, and creating thriving communities where economic and social opportunities can be realised. Secretary of State Heidi Alexander highlighted that the fund is a deliberate intervention to ensure that development prospects long deprived of essential infrastructure are prioritised. Housing Secretary Steve Reed further emphasised the importance of accelerating the pace of development by catalysing investment in housing and associated transport links.

For the construction sector and its supply chain, the start of the Growth and Housing Accelerator Fund represents an immediate and significant opportunity to engage in major enabling works. This includes the design and delivery of critical road connections, junction upgrades, and associated civil engineering packages that form the backbone of new housing and employment developments. Contractors, consultants, and product suppliers able to demonstrate robust delivery mechanisms, along with a track record in collaborative infrastructure partnerships, will be well positioned to benefit from this new capital stream as authorities prepare to submit and progress funding bids.

Furthermore, suppliers with innovative approaches to renewals and upgrades – particularly for ageing bridges, viaducts, and concrete roads – are likely to find increased demand under the RIS3 umbrella, which dedicates £8.4 billion to such works. The focus on unblocking long-stalled developments ensures that the fund will be central to accelerating nationwide growth and promoting long-term pipeline stability for supply chains active in major transport infrastructure.