The project will deliver 427 new homes, built around Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill, by 2018. Designs and construction for over 130 of these will begin in the next few months.
Scott Bailey, Head of Development at Havebury Housing, who submitted the application for the grant, said: “This is such fantastic news for both the local community and for Havebury. This is the first time we have been awarded such a significant grant on our own.”
Previously Havebury Housing received grant funding as part of a development consortium, made up of East Anglian housing associations.
Havebury was part of the consortium that successfully bid for £14m from the Homes and Communities Agency to help build 770 new affordable homes across the region between 2011-2015.
Chief Executive of Havebury Karen Mayhew said: “These new homes will deliver much needed social housing in the area. These homes will go some way to transforming the lives of people who have difficulty finding a home of their own.
“I’m so proud of our hardworking team for all the work they did in putting together this complex bid. Now the real work starts, working with the local community and getting schemes started on site.”
Cllr Anne Gower, cabinet member for housing, who represents the Haverhill North ward, said: “I am delighted that the Government has recognised our determination to tackle the shortage of affordable housing.
“This council has worked hard with Havebury to prepare ‘ready to go’ affordable housing schemes that belong at the top of the list for funding.
“We are taking direct action with opportunities across the board, and these are just the first of more much needed affordable homes we look forward to delivering.”
