Platform4 will regenerate disused railway sites, delivering 40,000 homes, jobs and community spaces while boosting economic growth and supporting the government’s Plan for Change. Thousands of potential homeowners and families are set to benefit from new high-quality homes built on surplus railway land, as Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced the creation of Platform4, a government-owned company that will unlock brownfield sites across the country for development.
Platform4 has been launched to deliver up to 40,000 new homes over the next decade by transforming surplus rail land into thriving communities. Previously, London and Continental Railways Ltd and Network Rail’s Property Team worked independently, which often resulted in inefficiencies and missed opportunities. By combining their functions, skills and expertise, Platform4 will accelerate housing delivery, attract private investment and enhance community regeneration. The unified approach is expected to generate an additional £227 million by delivering developments at a greater pace and scale.
The new company will tackle the challenges of building on railway land while forming partnerships with other public sector landowners to make these sites more attractive to private developers. Its efforts will breathe life into disused goods yards and vacant industrial sites, generating £1 billion worth of new developments and creating thousands of jobs. The initiative is part of the government’s Plan for Change, which aims to build 1.5 million homes. Platform4 also aims to attract more than £350 million in private investment.
