Up to 10,000 new homes could be built on surplus land next to railway stations under new government plans.
The Homes and Communities Agency is to work with Network Rail and local authorities on a series of developments that could help revive town centres, as well as providing thousands of much-needed starter homes in locations with exceptional access to public transport.
Plans have already been unveiled for schemes around York, Swindon and Taunton stations, with the aim being to replicate developments at big city stations - Birmingham New Street, Manchester Victoria and London King's Cross - on a smaller scale.
Communities secretary Greg Clark said: "With record numbers of people travelling by train, it makes sense to bring people closer to stations and develop sites that have space for thousands of new homes and offices."
The government is hoping for around 20 plans to be devised.
Other projects linking housing with rail include plans to build thousands of new homes around the new HS2 stations, with up to 4,100 dwellings expected to be delivered at Manchester Piccadilly alone.
