6 April 2004
A new body will help to transform 10,000 hectares of derelict and unused land into open green spaces over the next ten years.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott launched the Land Restoration Trust today. He said sustainable communities are not just about housing, but need a mix of ingredients to be places where people want to live and work.
"By transforming swathes of neglected brownfield land into open green spaces for the community to enjoy, the Trust will help to improve not only the local environment but also people’s quality of life.
"I hope to see the Land Restoration Trust helping communities across the country - from the former coal mining areas to the creation of new sustainable communities in the Thames Gateway."
The Trust is a partnership between English Partnerships, Groundwork, the Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency. It will have a three year pilot phase where it will restore and manage 1,500 ha of under-used brownfield land. The first three sites to be transferred to the Land Restoration Trust are Monkton in the North East and Bentley and Hickleton, both in Yorkshire. Within ten years it will acquire, own and manage 10,000 ha of land in England.
The government’s plan for sustainable communities, backed by £22bn of investment, recognises that housing policy needs to be linked to improving economies, public services, transport and the environment at a local level.
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