Platform4 to Deliver 40,000 Homes on Surplus Railway Land
Glenigan reports on Platform4, a new government-backed company formed by LCR Property and Network Rail to turn surplus railway land into new neighbourhoods. It aims to deliver up to 40,000 homes over the next ten years, contributing to the government’s target of 1.5 million homes by 2029.
By developing brownfield railway sites, Platform4 intends to speed up housing delivery, support local economies and bring underused urban land back into use. An overarching programme links the individual schemes, using economies of scale, pooled investment and publicly owned land to move quickly.
Sites already identified include:
• Manchester Mayfield, a flagship scheme with 1,500 homes plus retail, leisure and office space, where detailed plans for Phase 1B have been approved • Newcastle Forth Goods Yard, earmarked for 350 homes, a multi-storey car park and a commercial unit • Cambridge North, a mixed-use residential and commercial scheme serving a city with strong tech and life sciences growth • Nottingham, where 200 homes are planned on surplus railway land near the city centre
Some related schemes are already under way, and Platform4 is expected to accelerate them by providing funding, releasing land and adding development expertise, working alongside private developers to move stalled projects forward. The partnership combines LCR’s regeneration experience with Network Rail’s large land holdings to unlock sites that might otherwise remain unused for years.
