UK Government allocates ?311 million pot of cash to the Midlands and North Housing Market Renewal

The government has announced that it is injecting 311 million pounds into the 12 pathfinder areas, the funding will be allocated to renovating 6,500 homes across the Midlands and the North in the Pathfinder areas. The funds will be allocated through the Homes and community Agency and is thought to protect and generate 1,000 jobs and apprenticeships within the construction industry.
The announcement made by the Housing Minister John Healy is in addition to the announcement of ?1.7 billion pounds of funding for the building of new affordable homes that was announced in the summer. The scheme is said to benefit around 1500 people many of which live in areas blighted by abandoned homes. The funding forms part of the housing market renewal scheme, and they have already allocated 36 million pounds to North Staffordshire. The pathfinder initiative has already been responsible for transforming a number of areas and assisting in bring vacant properties back into use.
Stoke-on-Trent has employed an empty home officer, tasked with tracing absent landlords and brings empty and derelict properties back into use. There are strong rumors amongst many Midlands property professionals that areas such as Stoke-on-Trent and the market towns that surround it, like Leek in Staffordshire Moorlands will become property hot spots as this funding is pumped into the areas.