A TOTAL of 80 affordable homes will be built on a Bridgwater site following a £15m investment by a major developer.

Sedgemoor District Council has been working with Homes England to deliver new homes in the Kingsdown area of the town, near the M5 motorway and the iconic Willow Man sculpture.

Planning permission for a development of 80 homes was granted by the council in December 2019, with at least 24 of the proposed new homes being affordable.

But following a generous investment by Vistry Partnerships, every last home on the site will now be affordable – and construction could start before the coronavirus lockdown is lifted.

Vistry Partnerships committed on April 21 to £105m of development across six sites in the UK – including just over £15m on the Kingsdown site in Bridgwater.

The London-based company has also stated it will “advance these proposals” while the current pandemic is ongoing.

Chief executive Stephen Teagle said: “It’s a challenging time for the housebuilding and construction industry, so I am delighted that we have secured these six new housing sites.

“We have developed a successful partnership with Homes England and are already providing many hundreds of homes together; these new developments will add to that partnership, providing hundreds of affordable homes.

“Thanks to our agile business model and a collaborative approach with Homes England to accelerate delivery, we have been able to identify solutions which will enable us to progress as soon as possible.”

The Kingsdown site was purchased by Homes England with the council’s support, with plans being submitted for 80 homes back in January 2019.

The homes will range in size from two-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses, with access being from King’s Road near the Morrisons regional distribution centre.

The plans approved in December secured 30 per cent of the homes as being affordable (the equivalent of 24 properties) – but this has now risen to 100 per cent following Vistry’s commitment.

Duncan Harvey, the council’s housing development manager, said: “Despite the current covid-19 crisis, the demand for affordable, quality homes remains high.

“Providing affordable homes is an ongoing priority for the council and this project represents another significant step forward.

“To hear about such a major investment commitment during a period of severe financial challenges is fantastic news, and is a testament to the hard work and strength of our relationship with the housing supply chain.”

Unrelated plans for a further development on King’s Road – comprising 57 homes and retail space – could be approved by the council later in the year.