Affordable housing in St Edmundsbury has received a multi-million pound boost following the Housing Corporation’s announcement of funding in the Eastern region.
Housing Associations in the borough are set to receive a total of £5.47 million from the Housing Corporation over the next two years, which will be used to build 234 affordable homes within St Edmundsbury.
The funding follows successful bids by Registered Social Landlords (RSL), which work in partnership with the council to provide affordable housing in the borough. Of the total pot, RSLs secured £4.8 million through the bidding process. The remaining £648,000 has been allocated through New Partnership Funding, which is a Government scheme open to submissions from both RSLs and the private sector.
St Edmundsbury will now work closely with RSLs in Haverhill, Bury St Edmunds and rural areas to provide the region with high quality accommodation, for either rent or purchase on a shared ownership basis. This will include the provision of some homes suitable for wheelchair users. The funding will subsidise the delivery of these affordable homes.
Cllr Frank Warby, Portfolio Holder for Housing, Health and Crime, said:
“This funding will significantly help St Edmundsbury towards our goal of providing good quality, affordable housing for our residents in the borough. Providing affordable homes is vital in sustaining communities and this money will allow more people to live in the areas of their own choice.
“This funding is a brilliant success and is a result of a lot of effective hard work on behalf or our social housing and planning teams which has led to St Edmundsbury receiving a good allocation – especially in comparison with some other local authorities.
“We have worked closely with Registered Social Landlords in the borough to secure this funding and will continue to do so to make sure our affordable housing programme continues to be a success in the future.”
This pot of funding will be split to deliver affordable housing in the following way:-
Bury St Edmunds - 70
Haverhill - 88
Rural areas - 76
ENDS
ISSUED BY LIZ HEARNSHAW, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel 01284 757033. liz.hearnshaw@stedsbc.gov.uk
