Affordable housing boost

This first allocation was announced by government agency the Housing Corporation this week as part of it's National Affordable Housing Programme for 2008 -2011, with 459 homes to be built across the county.

This is just part of the Corporation's three year programme which will see a total of 8.4 billion invested in new affordable homes across England, and additional investment will follow.

The aim is to deliver greater numbers of greener, better designed homes throughout the area, with more larger homes for families being created, as well as accommodation for holder and vulnerable people, with homes in rural areas as well as urban areas.

Sheila Drew-Smith, Housing Corporation Board Member with special responsibility for the South East, said: "I am delighted that East Sussex has been given this new funding to help create the extra homes that are so greatly needed by local people.

"This investment will also help to build and support thriving local communities where people will want to live and work. I am particularly pleased that as well as creating more homes, we are ensuring they have higher green and design standards than ever, and that there is funding for more larger homes and for rural areas as well as homes in city and town centres."