The funding, announced as part of Homes England’s Brownfield Infrastructure Land (BIL) Fund, will support the transformation of the Sheepfolds neighbourhood in Sunderland. The former industrial site is set to become the largest residential area within the Riverside Sunderland project. The Sheepfolds development forms part of Sunderland City Council’s wider ambition to build more than 1,000 new homes in the city centre. The homes are part of the Riverside Sunderland Creative Mayoral Development Zone, which aims to repopulate and revitalise the urban core. Chris Eynon, leader of Sunderland City Council, said the funding represents a pivotal moment in the city’s regeneration plans.