Strategic Sites Accelerator

The Strategic Sites Accelerator (SSA) will assist and accelerate the development of strategic investment sites across the UK.

Announced under the Modern Industrial Strategy, the SSA will bring forward high potential but stalled developments, delivering investment sites for investors in priority sectors. By providing a range of targeted financial and non-financial interventions, the SSA will support economic growth, increase UK competitiveness in attracting FDI and create new jobs.

The programme will be delivered jointly through the Office for Investment (OfI) and the National Wealth Fund (NWF), offering a blended finance model to deliver otherwise commercially viable investment sites. This includes facilities to provide sub-market financial products where it delivers value for money.

The SSA is a pilot scheme and will invest in 6 to 10 sites over this parliament, with over £700m finance made available to support chosen sites within this period. The finance offer is complemented by technical advisory support, with scope to bring forward a further selection of earlier stage projects to an investment-ready state.

CBRE have been appointed as the National Delivery Partner for the programme. As a leading global real estate advisor, they bring deep commercial and technical expertise which will support site financing, delivery and investor engagement.

The SSA published its Investment Strategy in October 2026.

Working with places to deliver

The SSA is a national initiative, supporting the government's reindustrialisation agenda right across the UK. The programme will work in partnership with Devolved Governments, Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs), and local authorities to support local priorities across the country.

As part of the investment journey, Devolved Governments, MSAs and local authorities will be engaged to indentify suitable pipeline projects for the SSA, align priorities and look for opportunities to partner on delivery. This also complements No10 North’s wider work with local leaders to help move major local growth projects from ambition towards delivery.

Technical assistance

In addition to investment or blended finance, the SSA may also provide targeted technical assistance where sites have specific barriers to delivery preventing them from reaching investment readiness. This may include providing expert real-estate advice, support on land assembly complexities, planning, utility and transport constraints and procuring suitable partners.

The programme has already identified and is working with a number of pilot sites for the 'Assist' offer. Early examples include supporting Mid-Sussex to bring forward the prospective Science and Technology Park in Burgess Hill and working with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority on Don Valley Corridor’s Runway Park, where government is working alongside local partners to strengthen the foundations for future investment. Support includes exploring development options, assessing infrastructure requirements and identifying practical steps that could help bring development forward.

Investment principles

The investments made via the SSA will need to balance strategic alignment with Industrial Strategy sectors and places, economic benefit and value for money, including return on investment for public sector debt or equity proposals. Investment decisions will be guided by the following high-level principles.

Strategic priorities

The proposal must unlock or accelerate developments aligned with the Industrial Strategy 8 sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries, defence, digital technologies, financial services, life sciences, creative industries and professional and business services.

Additionality

There must be evidence that public intervention is necessary because the project would otherwise not proceed. There must be clear evidence of a market failure.

Market demand

The project must demonstrate strong evidence of a credible occupier, investor, or end user demand for the site or development once delivered.

Value for money

The proposal ensures public money is being used to unlock wider economic (GVA) benefits, and where public capital is being invested by the National Wealth Fund it is expected to achieve a poistive fianncial return.

Track record

The developer and its supply chain must have a track record for delivering similar projects.

Partnership approach

The project must demonstrate a credible and secured route to raising the bulk of its funding needs by the market.

Additional detail on the criteria for SSA investments can be found in the Strategic Sites Accelerator Investment Strategy.

Applying for SSA support

The Office for Investment will be inviting proposals for SSA intervention during specified windows in the pilot phase. These will reviewed by a joint OfI and NWF panel based on suitability against the principles and criteria set out in the Investment Strategy.

The closing date for submissions to the pilot is 19 January 2027, 11.59pm.

To make applications easier for stakeholders, applications will be assessed in 2 stages:

Stage 1: Consists of around 20 questions and should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The questions cover basic site information, lead contact details, key stakeholders, planning status and high level financial requirements.

Following review in Sift 1, sites considered a suitable fit for the programme will be invited to complete a more detailed Sift 2 questionnaire. We expect to contact sites invited to Sift 2 by email within 2 to 3 weeks from submission.

You can see the questions in full before going through the form.

Stage 2: Requests further detailed information building on information at Sift 1. At this stage detailed financial information will be required, as well as barriers to delivery and the site's strategic and economic impact. We expect the information required in Sift 2 to be best provided by the project developer, sponsor or those with direct financial and delivery oversight.

Applications strongly aligning with criteria in Sift 2 will then be approached for further discussion.