Grant could help new home purchases

A £7MILLION-plus grant could help hundreds of people across Huntingdonshire get a foot on the property ladder over the next two years. The money from the Housing Corporation will provide 255 affordable homes for Huntingdonshire. The properties will be a

A £7MILLION-plus grant could help hundreds of people across Huntingdonshire get a foot on the property ladder over the next two years.

The money from the Housing Corporation will provide 255 "affordable" homes for Huntingdonshire.

The properties will be available for rent or purchase on a "shared ownership" basis, which allowes a person to buy part of the house outright and rent the rest until they can afford to buy the remainder.

Some further homes for key workers, such as teachers and nurses, will also be included in the plans.

Steve Plant, Huntingdon District Council's head of housing services, said: "House prices have risen by 77 per cent since 2000. As a result, many local people cannot afford to buy their own homes.

"We have more than 2,500 households on our housing register, and this money will help us meet some of this need."

The properties covered by the grant will be at the old Model Laundry site, Hinchingbrooke and George Street, in Huntingdon, Houghton Road and Burleigh Road, St Ives, the new Loves Farm development east of the railway at St Neots, and at Little Paxton.

The grant followed a joint bid by Huntingdonshire District Council and its housing association partners.

However, with a growing population, there is still an acute shortage of social rented accommodation in the district.

The last Housing Corporation grant, for about £6million, was made two years ago.