Council to purchase affordable housing for local people in need

12 Feb 2020 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news

Northumberland County Council has agreed to fund the purchase of  33 new affordable houses in the county.

The houses which will be built in Bellingham and Choppington will be rented out by the council at an affordable rent to local people in housing need.

In Bellingham, six affordable units comprising two, two bedroomed houses and four, three bedroomed houses will become available for rent.

In Choppington, twenty seven units comprising bungalows and two and three bedroomed houses, which form part of the  proposed new housing development at Whinney Hill will become available for rent.

At this week’s cabinet meeting councilors  approved £3,693million from the capital budget to acquire the houses that are being built by Ascent Homes, the housing arm of Advance Northumberland.

Northumberland County Councillor John Riddle, Cabinet member with responsibility  for housing said:

“ The new, quality affordable housing will really benefit these local communities.   The lack of affordable housing is a big challenge facing many people in Northumberland and the county council has made it one of its top priorities with a pledge to help to build up to 1,000  new affordable houses for rent over the next four years. This will include the building of new housing by the council.

“ We are working to identify potential development sites,  working with housing developers to deliver affordable housing through  S106 agreements in the planning process and facilitating community led schemes, to support the delivery of affordable housing where it is needed most.”