Affordable homes boost for Galliford Try

New homes developer Galliford Try has signed the largest affordable housing deal to date in the Government's £1.8bn Affordable Homes Programme.

The new homes developer has been allocated £17m by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to construct close to 1,500 new homes on behalf of its housing association partner.

Galliford Try has enjoyed good fortune of late. The housebuilder posted a high level of sales following an encouraging autumn season.

The company said that house sales - reserved, contracted or completed - had increased by 38% to £430m in the four months to 10 November.

Greg Fitzgerald, Galliford's chief executive, recently said: "Although the economic outlook remains uncertain, we have been encouraged by the performance of our housebuilding business as its growth plan comes to fruition during this financial year."

Galliford Try is the third housebuilder to sign an AHP funding contract, after Dunelm Acorn Homes struck an £8.6m deal to develop 500 new homes in North East Yorkshire and Humber, while Jessup Brothers will build 197 new homes in the Midlands, after securing a £3.6m contract.

Construction on these new affordable homes is expected to get underway next month.