The government has announced the areas that have been shortlisted to become the first housing zones in England.

A shortlist of 29 areas outside London have been published, each of which have bid to become one of 10 housing zones, where it will be easier and quicker to build new homes on brownfield land.

Chancellor George Osborne said: "A key part of our long term economic plan is to build the houses Britain needs so that more families can have the security that comes with home ownership.

"That's why I'm delighted to announce the areas shortlisted to become the first housing zones in England which, as part of a wider package of measures, will help deliver up to 200,000 new homes on brownfield land.

"Alongside other important measures like Help to Buy, we are doing everything we can to boost housing supply and to make sure people can get a home of their own."

The 29 areas shortlisted to become housing zones are:


• Thurrock Thames-Side Towns (Thurrock council)

• Elstree Way Corridor (Hertsmere borough council)

• Slyfield Area Regeneration Project (Guildford borough council)

• Suffolk Rural Growth Housing Zone (Babergh and Mid-Suffolk councils)

• Greater Gainsborough Housing Zone (West Lindsey district council)

• Coseley Housing Zone (Dudley Metropolitan borough council)

• Bescot Friar Park (Sandwell Metropolitan borough council)

• Stoke City Centre Renaissance (Stoke City council)

• Derby City Housing Zone (Derby City council)

• Gedling Colliery (Gedling borough council)

• Harworth, North Nottinghamshire (Bassetlaw district council)

• Aire River Growth Corridor (Wakefield Metropolitan district council)

• North East Lincolnshire Town Centre Living (North East Lincolnshire council)

• York Central Housing Zone (City of York council)

• Hoyland and Dearne Valley Housing Zone, Barnsley (Barnsley Metropolitan district council)

• Exemplar Neighbourhood (Gateshead council)

• Sheffield – Rotherham Don Valley Housing Zone (Sheffield City council)

• Preston Housing Zone (Preston City council)

• Penine-Lancashire (Blackburn with Darwen borough council)

• Wirral Waters – North Bank East (Wirral Metropolitan borough council)

• South Bristol HZ (Bristol City council)

• Whitehill and Bordon (East Hampshire district council)

• Weston Super Mare Town Centre (North Somerset council)

• Weston Links/Avoncrest (North Somerset council)

• Ashchurch (Tewkesbury borough council)

• Hinkley Housing Zone (Sedgemoor district council)

• Former Powerstation Site, Poole (borough of Poole council)

• Foxhill (Bath and North East Somerset council)

• Gloucester City Growth Zone (Gloucester City council)