Housing Record number of affordable homes being built in city

MORE new affordable homes were built in Bristol between April and September last year than in any other year "within memory".

- Alex SEABROOK Local democracy reporter [e-mail]

In the first six months of the financial year, the construction of 286 affordable homes were finished, smashing records and alleviating the city's housing crisis.

The figure of 286 is much higher than the 176 in the first half of the previous year, and 227 in the year before that. According to the latest figures, 54 of these 286 homes were built by Bristol City Council, which is one of the best in the country for delivering new social housing.

The council is ranked ninth in the UK for building new social housing, and the top performing English council outside of London, according to Inside Housing. An update was given to councillors on the housing policy committee.

Councillor Barry Parsons, chair of the housing committee, said: "This is an extraordinary achievement.

"We have the highest affordable homes delivery figures at this midyear point within memory, and certainly within the last five or six years.