A TOTAL of 88 affordable homes have been delivered in West Somerset in the past year.

West Somerset Council works with providers such as housing association to provide homes at a price people can afford whether to rent or buy.

Cllr Keith Turner said: “We are constantly on the lookout for ways of delivering affordable housing, and if anyone has any suggestions for sites or properties which would be suitable for conversion, they should contact our officers.

” The 88 homes are a mix of supported housing units, general needs family accommodation and low cost home ownership properties.

The average purchase price of a semi-detached property in West Somerset is around £190,000.

Schemes include:

  • Chadwyck Close, in Porlock, where 15 affordable homes have been provided in partnership with Hastoe Housing Association.
  •  The Beach Hotel, in Minehead, where a project with the Somerset Coast YMCA has brought a redundant hotel back into use as supported housing accommodation and a functioning hotel in partnership with West Somerset College. l
  • Brackensfield, in Alcombe, a scheme of 33 affordable rented homes in partnership with Magna West Somerset Housing Assocation. This has delivered 15 properties in the past financial year with a remaining 18 to be handed over by July 2014. l
  • Higil Lea, in Crowcombe, where five affordable homes for rent have been delivered in partnership with Falcon Rural Housing.

Cllr Turner added: “I am delighted we have been able to facilitate the provision of so many much needed homes and I am looking forward to more success in the year ahead.” T

here are currently 73 completions expected for this financial year including the development at Townsend Farm in Carhampton in partnership with Hastoe Housing Association.