MID Devon District Council has received a housing boost after being awarded £400,000 funding as part of a new government programme.

The Council has recently been awarded the funding by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) under the new 2015-18 Affordable Homes Programme - this programme aims to increase the supply of new affordable homes in England by contributing to the delivery of 165,000 new homes by March 2018.

In that time the HCA will invest £1.7 billion in affordable housing.

The grant will be put towards the development costs of providing 20 new affordable homes at two sites in Mid Devon - Fir Close, Willand and St Andrews Street, Tiverton.

Councillor Ray Stanley, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “I am really pleased that the Housing Service is able to work in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency to deliver much-needed affordable housing in Mid Devon.

“We started building again last year and were able to deliver 22 new homes in Crediton.

“We are trying to make the most of every opportunity to increase our stock in order to meet the housing needs of local people.

“Our housing list now exceeds 2,000 applicants in various levels of need hoping for social housing. We are committed to building homes to a high standard and to making them as fuel efficient as we can in order to reduce the running costs.

“We have an ambitious programme of future development and we are currently reviewing all of the land in our ownership in order to identify other sites for development.

“Additionally this year we have secured a further £1.2 million so that by March 2015 all our housing stock will meet the current 'Decent Homes Standard'.

“Work involved renovating kitchens and bathrooms and insulation and depending upon location, the most efficient heating system. This was through one-off support from the HCA ring-fenced for the above work.”

The district council says all of the homes built will be at affordable rent (up to 80% of market value) to provide families, couples and single people affordable accommodation.

Properties will be advertised through Devon Home Choice next Spring.