Councils are being encouraged to bid for a £5m fund to help transform brownfield sites into new housing developments.
To qualify for funding, councils will need to consult on a local development order as well as taking into account the housing needs of their communities.
The government said there is enough previously developed brownfield land to deliver up to 200,000 new homes, and hopes permissions for 90% of the homes will be in place by 2020.
Housing and planning minister Brandon Lewis said: ‘By investing billions in our affordable housing programme, and launching schemes like Help to Buy, we’ve got Britain building, with housebuilding levels at their highest since 2007.
‘But with enough brownfield land available for up to 200,000 homes we can do more. Today’s fund will get local development orders in place on brownfield land across the country, paving the way for more to come forward in the future.’
A £3m capacity fund has also been announced to help develop 85 new housing sites where development has been agreed.
