Iceni Homes to build 1,000 affordable homes

Housebuilder Iceni Homes has announced plans to develop 1,000 much needed affordable homes in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex, as part of a £123m programme. The scheme will be part funded by the local councils and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

The new homes, which will include a mix of family-sized homes and apartments, all at affordable rents and some shared ownership homes, will be built over the next four years.

The new deal, which Mike Goodson, Iceni's managing director, described as "fantastic", will see Iceni Homes work with three affordable housing partners, Colne Housing Society in Colchester, Suffolk Housing Society in Bury St Edmunds and Hundred Houses Society in Cambridge.

Building work has already got underway on some of Iceni's new homes developments, including 39 new affordable homes on the site of the former Cambridge Fire Station.

Mr Goodson commented: "We will now be able to build as least as many homes in this next four year Programme as we have done in the previous four year programme - which, in the present economic climate, represents an exceptional achievement."

He added: "Our partners' investment in new affordable homes will also help to protect jobs in the east of England's building and construction sectors and will hopefully assist in creating that much- needed new growth in the region through to 2015."