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Hundreds of new affordable homes are to be delivered across the south of England as part of a four-year agreement between the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the housing group GreenSquare.

The HCA has agreed a contract with GreenSquare that will see it deliver a total of 440 new homes across Wiltshire, Swindon, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. This will be supported by an investment of £8m from the HCA.

The agreement is part of the HCA’s Affordable Homes Programme, which is set to deliver 80,000 new affordable homes across England by 2015. It will make a major impact on affordable housing provision across the counties, where average house prices have been recorded as being more than 11 times the average local salary in some areas.

While some of the investment will support new homes on identified sites, around 235 homes will be provided on locations that are to be agreed as part of the four-year programme.

It will see new the new homes delivered in:

• Wiltshire – 180 homes
• Swindon –  94 homes
• Gloucestershire –  39 homes
• Oxford – 76 homes
• Oxfordshire – 51 homes.

HCA executive director for the South and South West, Colin Molton said: “This agreement is great news because it will see much needed new homes delivered in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire and make a significant difference to the local communities in which we work.

“Our local teams have worked closely with GreenSquare over recent months to ensure that its programme brings the maximum benefit for local people. But in many ways, the hard work starts now - and we will be focused on ensuring that people in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire see the benefits of our investment over the next four years.”

GreenSquare Development Director Vic O’Brien said: “We're delighted to have agreed this new contract with the HCA and to have a substantial programme of new homes development in place for the four years ahead.

“GreenSquare recognises the massive challenge to provide the homes that millions of households in this country urgently require and this announcement is a significant response to that challenge.

“And, beyond bricks and mortar, we know our new housing developments will improve people’s lives and wellbeing through, for example, training and employment initiatives and all kinds of community activities.”

Across the HCA’s South and South West operational area, the Affordable Homes Programme will deliver more than £240m in investment to help build more than 12,700 new homes over the next four years.

Successful bidders for the Affordable Homes Programme were first announced last summer. This programme is being delivered alongside the HCA’s management of former Regional Development Agency-owned sites and its continuing work with local authorities to support their priority projects.

[published online 10/1/12]