WORCESTERSHIRE'S largest social housing, Fortis Living, has announced it will provide more than a 1,000 new affordable homes after receiving a funding boost.

Fortis Living, which provides more than 16,000 homes, has secured a £50 million funding package from Lloyds Bank.

The affordable homes will be for both rent and shared ownership and will be built across Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.

The new homes will include a range of houses, flats and bungalows for all types of households including families, older people, couples and singles.

Andy Howarth, executive director of finance at Fortis Living said: “We are delighted to announce this new investment and look forward to delivering more affordable homes for local people.

"Lloyds Bank’s social housing team has arranged a funding package that will meet our short term requirement.”

Jatinder Dhaliwal, relationship director at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Organisations like Fortis Living are doing a fantastic job of helping more people get on the property ladder and tackling increased housing pressures across the Midlands.

“As one of the UK’s leading lenders to the sector, we’re proud to be helping housing associations play their crucial role in providing high-quality, affordable homes.”

The news is the latest on Fortis Living's plans. In April, the Worcester News reported on the completion of the first in a series of developments of shared ownership houses from Fortis Living, that had been completed in the county.

The homes are Fortis Living’s first properties to be built under the government’s Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme, which aims to increase the supply of shared ownership and other affordable homes in England by 2021. Homes England is providing the grant funding for that scheme.