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Housing Minister John Healey yesterday announced that in October he confirmed the release of a further £290m that should build almost 5,500 affordable homes across the country, helping to tackle housing waiting list pressures, boost the construction industry and support over 6000 jobs.

Mr Healey said that this latest installment of Government cash to build more affordable homes brings total Government support for housebuilding since June to £1.8bn.

Mr Healey also saw builders get back to work at New Broughton in Salford today thanks to £7.3m government cash to kickstart work on site again after over a year's delay due to the recession. While there the minister confirmed that more than 30 stalled building projects across the country have met final conditions to receive Government Kickstart cash that will get them building again.

Projects right across the country will feel the benefit of today's £290m cash, delivering almost 5,500 more affordable homes across 149 local authority areas. The funding will be distributed through the Homes and Communities Agency, the Government's housing delivery body.

Mr Healey said over a quarter of the new homes provided will help get first time buyers onto the property ladder through the HomeBuy scheme and other low cost home ownership programmes, while the remainder of the new homes will provide much needed council and housing association properties for social tenants.

Mr Healey also made clear his determination that every one of the housing associations receiving Government housebuilding cash will be required to provide apprentices to help secure a strong future for the industry and support and cultivate the next generation of construction workers through providing the experience and qualifications for young people to build their careers.

Speaking at a UNISON Conference in Manchester today, John Healey said:

"We're building the homes this country needs, providing new homes for families across the country and helping first time buyers take their first step onto the housing ladder.

"We're using the power of government investment to support the construction industry at a time of recession when it needs it most, providing the means to help get the market moving again. And with tough terms for developers to get their cash we're getting the most for every taxpayer's pound, creating new jobs and apprenticeships and safeguarding the future of the industry.

"Today's investment to build more affordable homes brings the total government help for housebuilding since June to £1.8bn and I'm determined to keep building homes in the months ahead, with further cash to come for councils, housing associations and developers."

Notes to editors

1. Some of the projects to receive Government funding on the National Affordable Housing Programme include:

East of England

Cotney Croft and Peartree Way, Stevenage
Home Housing Group will receive a total £314,000 NAHP cash to build eight homes for affordable rent as part of an exemplar low carbon project.

London

Violet Road, Tower Hamlets
Network Housing Group Limited will receive over £2.2m to redevelop the current disused clothing factory providing 73 homes - including 23 affordable homes - alongside commercial floor space. The scheme will include a number of energy efficient design measures such as energy efficient lighting, wind turbines and a combined heat and power system.

Heathside and Lethbridge, Lewisham
Family Mosaic developers will receive £14.3m NAHP cash to overhaul these two adjoining Council owned estates between Lewisham Road and Blackheath Hill, to provide around 450 affordable homes for rent and shared ownership, alongside a mix of homes for intermediate rent and private sale.

North East

Trinity Phase 5, Middlesborough
£292,500 will go to Phase 5 of Tees Valley Housing Ltd's ongoing regeneration at Trinity in Middlesbrough to build nine homes for social rent. The regeneration project has just been awarded the 'Creating Better Places to Live by Regenerating Communities' Award at the recent UK Housing Awards, and also scooped a second accolade, the 'Outstanding Achievement in Housing in England' Award.

North West

Castlefields Village Square Phase 2, Halton, Merseyside
PHD Partnershipwill receive £1,712,500 to deliver 25 apartments for social rent, regenerating a local brownfield site as part of the redevelopment of a local neighbourhood centre which is currently a hub for anti-social behaviour.

South East

Shenley Wood Village in Milton Keynes
£4.8m NAHP investment in Shenley Wood Village will provide 75 new Extra Care homes for older people to rent at an affordable level to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable in the local area.

South West

Battery Street, Homeless Hostel, Plymouth
Bournemouth Churches Housing Association will receive £2.1m toward replacing an existing hostel for the homeless in Plymouth. The new hostel will consist of 46 units (44 one person bedsits, and 2 two person bedsits) to provide short stay temporary accommodation for 48 people before they move to more long-term supported accommodation. Start on site is scheduled for late February with completion scheduled for May 2011.

Fursdon, Plymouth
New Futures and Tamar Housing will receive £937,822 NAHP cash for the refurbishment of a listed building and the surrounding area to provide 14 new homes. The scheduled start on site is end of January 2010 with completion mid July 2011.

West Midlands

Trench Lock, Telford
Bloor Homes and Wrekin Housing Trust will recieve £3.37m NAHP cash to build 60 much needed affordable homes within a larger scheme in North Telford. Through the provision of NAHP it has given the developer confidence to progress the whole scheme which has now started on site.

Snow Hill, Birmingham
Midland Heart developers will recieve £5.13m NAHP cash for the conversion and extension a of supported housing scheme to provide an mixed community living scheme for 88 people, including training rooms, IT facilities and social enterprise facilities. Half the places will be offered to homeless tenants, and half to those employed or in training on low incomes.

Yorkshire and Humber

Newton on Ouse in Hambleton
Spirit Partnership and Tees Valley Housing Association will receive over £600,000 to deliver nine much needed affordable homes for rent and three HomeBuy homes in an area where prices remain high.

2. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is the national housing and regeneration agency for England, with an annual investment budget of more than £5bn. The HCA was formed on 1 December 2008 along with the Tenant Services Authority (the regulatory body for Registered Social Landlords).

3. A regional breakdown of the £289m allocated to Housing Associations and other providers Associations across 149 local authority areas which will support delivery of a further 5,500 affordable homes is detailed below:

4. Regional details of full funding for housebuilding announced since June are detailed below:

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