Region to share in £700m to unlock strategic industrial and commercial land

The UK government has unveiled a £700m Strategic Sites Accelerator aimed at accelerating reindustrialisation by unlocking up to 10 major industrial and commercial sites across the country. Officials say the programme will combine around £700m of support with expert backing to target commercially viable locations where investor demand already exists, but development is stalled by barriers such as access to finance, grid connections and planning constraints. Support can include loans, equity, and targeted grant funding, alongside technical expertise. The Office for Investment and the National Wealth Fund will work with CBRE as national delivery partner. Regions highlighted for exploration include Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, West Midlands, Liverpool City Region, the North East, Glasgow City Region and Cardiff Capital Region.