COLCHESTER has been chosen as a pilot site for a scheme designed to help housebuilders choose derelict and underused land for potential new homes.

The new government initiative will see 73 local authorities across England, including Colchester Council, create registers available to developers for them to be kept up to date with all brownfield sites available for housing.

As well as local authorities adding to the list, residents can pitch in with their ideas for any eyesores they think could be regenerated for five houses or more.

The council will be given £10,000 in government funding to help create the register.

The move is part of the government’s plan to build one million more homes and for 90 per cent of planning permission to be on brownfield sites.

Communities secretary Greg Clark said: “A key part of our ambition is to get work started on brownfield sites across the country – many of which are currently nothing more than blight on a community’s landscape.

“The councils will be at the forefront of these efforts to list land and encourage builders to deliver new homes for aspiring homeowners.

“But this is just the first step and I would urge councils to continue to offer up brownfield sites to deliver the homes their residents want and need.

Martin Goss, chairman of Colchester Council’s local plan committee said he believed new housing should always be built on brownfield sites but the number of appropriate areas in Colchester were dwindling quickly.

He said: “I would always rather a brownfield site was regenerated before you even look at a greenfield site.

“The majority of development in recent years has been on brownfield like sites at the Garrison and the development there and at the Hythe.

“The number of brownfield sites are running out.

“If they are any members of the public who have eyesores in their community which they think might qualify as a brownfield sites I would be more than happy to speak to them and try and add them to the list.”