TWENTY three new affordable homes have been completed in Ringwood - bolstering New Forest District Council’s (NFDC) stock of homes in the area.

The homes on Crow Lane form part of the district council’s housing plans and are within a development built by Linden Homes. The council says the properties will “provide much-needed housing for New Forest families”.

Councillor Jill Cleary, housing portfolio holder for NFDC, said: “By acquiring some of the affordable housing provided by the developer under the terms of their planning permission, we are able to add to our stock of council houses in areas where they are needed.

“We are taking every opportunity to address the need for affordable housing in the New Forest. Despite the challenges of the current health crisis, increasing affordable homes in the district is still a key priority for the council and our communities, and this development is a major step towards achieving our target to deliver at least 600 new council-owned affordable homes by 2026.”

During the last year 90 new council homes were acquired or built for the district council and it says a number of new schemes are in the pipeline for 2020.

The council says it is “working with developers and housing associations to ensure that good quality affordable housing is provided in a range of tenures including social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership” and that it is “making real progress towards addressing the district’s affordable housing shortage, by providing a range of housing options that are affordable and sustainable”.

The council is seeking further opportunities to purchase land for residential development within the New Forest, including the National Park. To discuss an opportunity, contact new housing manager javed.ditta@nfdc.gov.uk